Sweet Shackles
by Minxii
Summary: Demons have over thrown man kind, tired of having to live in the darkness and shadows of humanity. Young Rin having been caught and traded off to demon after demon gaining a bad reputation of a silent killer of her masters. Can a young Inu demon lord tame this untameable pet?
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

My breathing was heavy as I ran through the forest, I could hear my heart pounding in my ears, as if someone had ripped it from my chest and were holding it to my head. My feet hurt... I stepped on twigs, roots, anything that was on the forest floor, but I had to keep running. My feet were bleeding though... I knew that was bad... they would catch my scent much easier. Tears began to stream down from my eyes as I dodged trees and ducked tree branches... remembering every horrible detail of how they invaded the village and killed almost everyone... even my parents. They seemed to spare the children, but were collecting them and putting them in chains like cattle. I knew at that point I had to run; I couldn't let them catch me.

I let out a startled scream when someone appeared in front of me out of thin air... No... They found me. I turned around quickly, trying to run in the opposite direction, but someone was there to block my way as well. They were wolf demons... I should have given up hope of running away from the beginning, they are master hunters... But my survival instincts wouldn't let me give up so easily. I tried to run past them, but one of them chuckled in amusement and grabbed onto my hair, causing me to gasp and reach up to scratch at their hands... wanting them to just let me go.

"Don't be afraid little one..." The one whom had my hair chuckled, pulling me closer towards him. "We won't hurt you... You're much too valuable for us to kill."

I began to struggle and scream as the demon that had me by the hair began to remove my kimono... This couldn't be happening... Why was this happening...?

"Would you stop it Raiko... You're going to damage her and lower her value." The other demon said. He sounded bored, like he would rather be doing something else.

"What? We have to remove the rags she's wearing anyway." The demon who held me scoffed, "When did you become such a wet sack."

"Whatever... It's been a long night's hunt; I just want to get back to my pups for the night."

I couldn't help but start sobbing when he said that... He had a family, but didn't bat an eye about demolishing dozens of families tonight... They were monsters... But what did I really expect, they were demons after all. I screamed as the demon that captured me picked me up and threw me across his shoulder, starting to head back to the village with me. I kicked and screamed and beat on his back with my fists... But I seemed to be nothing but a bug to him. He merely laughed at me and continued his walk to the village, talking to his friend casually and ignoring me completely... I had given up all hope; I might be some demon family's dinner after tonight.

_**XXX**_

I closed my eyes tight in horror as I listened to the demons beat some of the older kids, the teenagers mostly. The teenagers were the only ones being defiant... while us little kids knew if we said anything or protested, we would be beaten, or eaten alive. Why couldn't they just shut up... wasn't being alive enough for them? Why did they have to test the demons patience like that? By the end of the night... there were at least four dead bodies of human boys in the wolf den. I huddled myself in the corner, watching as wolves began to fight over and eat the dead bodies of the boys... I knew a few of them. I thought I might go insane if I watched any longer... I closed my eyes tightly, pulling my knees closely to my chest, hiding my face in them as I shuddered in fear. We were going to be food, food for this wolf demon tribe.

Day by day... fewer and fewer kids were killed, I became unsure of what the demon's plan for us was... I couldn't think straight anymore anyway... they never fed us, or gave any of us water, I soon began to think they were playing a sick game with us, seeing which one of us would starve to death first. The cave dripped water though, that was good for me, I could drink water off the cave floor just to keep myself alive... even though I didn't know why I should even be trying to prolong my life.

I noticed after a while there were six of us left. Six children who withstood the beatings and malnutrition... I began to play my own game to see which one of us would die next until...

"Get up!" Someone screamed at me, grabbing my hair and pulling me to my feet.

I whimpered, not really having a choice in the matter. The rest of the children were met with the same treatment as we were drug out of the wolf den and escorted through the forest. The wolf demons seemed excited, laughing and grinning as they talked about their big pay day today and how they would be able to feed their families for years to come. Whatever they were doing... I just wished they would put me out of my misery already...

Soon we came to a small village, though this was no ordinary village for me... It was full of demons. I could feel them gazing at us, snickering, making jokes. The young demons pointing at us and looking up at their parents to ask what we were... I envied them... I wished I could cling to my mother one more time, to see her one last time before I died as well...

The demons stopped in a clearing in the village, holding onto us as they lined up. The demon who held me by my hair seemed to be first in line, he walked out and stood in front of a large crowd of the demon villagers.

"We have a new bunch of human slaves as we have promised! Only the best of the best have been weeded through and brought to you fair villagers today!" The demon that held me by my hair announced, earning himself excited shouts and applause. "As you can see this one is fairly attractive, midnight black hair," He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look forward, "Seductive brown eyes. I would say she is around eleven or twelve years old. She can be a bed servant, household servant, and she is fairly tough so she can be used for farming as well. The bidding starts at 10 gold."

"10 gold!" A demon in the crowd quickly shouted.

"10 gold, anyone want to try 15?" The demon who held onto me shouted out to the crowd.

This went on for a surprisingly long time... until...

"Sold! For 200 gold!" The demon that held me seemed so very excited.

My vision was still blurred from malnourishment; I could only make out a few details of the demon who had _bought_ me. His eyes were the first thing i noticed, they were blood red... He had thick black hair that he held up into a pony tail and wore a dark blue kimono. The man seemed to smile at me as he looked me over, reaching out to lift me into his arms bridal style. My body suddenly stopped shuddering, the warmth he gave off warming my naked body. My eye lids began to feel heavy, feeling myself pass out for the first time in days since my hell had begun.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

I awakened to darkness... smelling something wonderful in the air around me. It smelled like... food. I batted my eyes a few times, trying to make my eyes adjust to the darkness of the room I was in until a bowl on the side of me came into view. I picked up the bowl quickly and brang it to my mouth, sipping in mouthfuls until every last drop was gone. It was so good, and I was so hungry... I wished I could have some more. I set the bowl down and began to view my surrounding, curious to know where I was and how I got here. I seemed to be in a small room, only things that seemed to be in here was the cot I was laying on and the bowl I just sat down on the floor. Suddenly I heard the door to the room opening and my head quickly spun around to see who it was.

"So... You're awake." The figure in the door said, standing there casting a shadow from the glow of the full moon behind him. I didn't respond, but I continued to gaze up at the figure, trying to make out a few characteristics. It was hopeless though... It was far too dark. I flinched and began the shudder as the figure began to make his way towards me. I cringed as the man kneeled down beside me, closing my eyes tight as if that would somehow make me invisible. The man chuckled, obviously amused by my actions.

"What's your name little one." He asked softly.

I looked up at him, he had a small smile on his face... and his eyes, his blood red eyes... I thought I could see some kind of kindness in them. The man began to frown, growing impatient by my silence.

He grabbed my chin, moving his face closer towards mine, his eyes quickly displaying anger in them, "I asked you a question girl, don't make me ask you again."

"I..-My name is Rin." I quickly responded, not wanting to see this demon's anger.

His smile returned and his hand moved to caress my cheek,"Rin... You may call me Master Naraku."

I let out a gasp as the man lifted me into his arms and began to carry me out of the room. I didn't like him touching me... I was still naked, but... He warmed me to the point it didn't feel like I was naked... it soothed me, causing me to rest my head tiredly against his chest. He carried me to his bed chambers; it held a giant room with a canopy like bed in the middle. The velvet like curtain hanging down from the ceiling and draping the bed... I've never seen a bed so beautiful in my life. This man must have been a nobleman of demons of some sort.

Naraku laid me down into his bed. I watched him closely as he crawled in beside me, taking my hand into his. I looked down at our hands; his was three times as big as mine were. He smiled a chuckled, he found this amusing. As I lay there looking at this demon as he fell asleep with me in his arms I couldn't help but think, this wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

_**XXX**_

I was awakened by a sharp kick to my ribs. I held onto my side, groaning out a bit in pain.

"Get up girl." I heard a woman command me in a stern voice.

I sat up to my knees in Naraku's bed, shutting my eyes tightly as I tried to ignore the pain in my side. The woman that had kicked me was glaring down at me, her blood red eyes laced with hatred... I looked down; maybe she was upset with me because I was not supposed to gaze upon her.

"Get dressed you lazy whore, your duty here is not only to spread your legs. You have a lot of work to do today." The woman said as she slung a kimono in my face.

I cringed as she said those things, beginning to swallow back tears... Is that to be one of my duties here? No... If it was Master Naraku would have made that clear last night... This woman was just trying to hurt me... But for what reason I didn't know.

"Didn't you hear me?" The woman's voice rose a bit, she was starting to get angry with me.

I looked up at her and was met with a slap hard enough to make me fall over on my side. I held onto the kimono she gave me, scared to move from the position she left me in.

"Get up and get dressed!" She shouted at me.

I shakily began to rise to my feet, slipping into the kimono the best I was able to. The woman grabbed me by the hair and tossed me out the door of Master Naraku's bed chambers, causing me to stumble. I caught myself before I could fall to the floor. Tears began to stream from my eyes and down my cheeks... wondering what I could have possibly done to get such treatment.

I learned that day that this woman was one of Naraku's daughters. She told me to call her Mistress Kagura. My duties to her were house work, cooking, making tea, cleaning and washing their clothes. She didn't care what my name was, she preferred to call me what she wished. She called me awful things... things I don't even wish to repeat. But it wasn't true, I knew I wasn't a whore and that's all that mattered.

Master Naraku wasn't that awful to me though, even though he sat back and let Mistress Kagura hit me and call me awful names; he never once hit me or called me anything out of my name. Though I never seemed to upset him at all... I wonder what I did to upset Mistress Kagura so much...

Every night Master Naraku would bring me to his bed chambers, and every night he would undress me and lay with me, holding me tight to his chest. Every night I would close my eyes and just listen to his heartbeat, it'd always peacefully put me to sleep.

"You're so useless! You can't even make a simple cup of tea!" Kagura yelled at me, throwing the finely crafted cup to the floor.

I kept my head down, not daring to meet her gaze, last time I did that I had to beg for my life. Master Naraku sat at the kitchen table, sipping his cup of tea without complaint and reading a paper he had received from the mail carrier this morning.

"Clean up this mess and make me a fresh cup of tea!" Mistress Kagura continued to yell at me, causing me to start to shudder in fear.

I merely nodded my head, too frightened to speak at this point. This was a mistake. The next thing I knew, the back of Mistress Kagura's hand had collided against my cheek, sending me to the floor and blood trickling from my now busted lip.

"Say something when I talk to you." Mistress Kagura said as she towered above me, her hands placed on her dainty hips.

"Careful Kagura." Master Naraku sighed, taking another sip of his tea.

Kagura scoffed and rolled her eyes, giving me a final kick to the ribs before walking away from me and to Master Naraku. I glanced over at them as I began to weakly make myself sit up off the floor, gathering pieces of broken tea cup into my hands. Kagura... Master Naraku's daughter, I could tell she loved her father very much. Loved him more than a daughter should love her father... I came to the conclusion that Mistress Kagura didn't like me, because I was with, or she thought I was with Master Naraku in a way she could never be. It was unfair, unfair for her to punish me for something I had no control over... But that was fine; I only had to put up with this abuse during the day, at night in Master Naraku's arms, is the only way I could truly be at peace.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

I kneeled down in front of the bush as I started to examine it. My grandmother once told me this shrub was called...The Pieris and always told me to stay away from it because when the livestock would sometimes nibble at it, they would become sick and die. Why would demons even want to decorate their homes with such dangerous plants? Though, the little white flowers that hung from it did look pretty.

"You're supposed to be watering the plants not gawking at them... Stupid girl." Mistress Kagura scolded me.

"S-sorry Mistress Kagura..." I murmured as i stood back up and started to water the dangerous, but beautiful Pieris bush.

Watering the garden was my favorite part of the day. It was nice to stop and smell all the wonderful scents of all the different and beautiful plants, and it was the last chore I had to do as the sun went down. Sometimes I even got to watch the sunset if I worked steadily enough. Though, it was never long after the sunset before Master Naraku came to steal me away from Mistress Kagura.

I looked up at the sky as it shades over from blue to gorgeous hues of orange and pink as I watered the last of the plants. I began to wonder why the sky couldn't look like this all the time.

"Rin."

I gasped and turned to look up towards whoever had called my name. My heart rate eased when I saw it was only Master Naraku, if Mistress Kagura caught me dazing off again, I was sure she would punish me for it. Master Naraku began to walk up to my side and take my hand into his, the way he always does when it was time to go to bed. I held onto his hand tight as I walked beside him, happy at least another long day with Mistress Kagura was over.

Master Naraku led me over to his bed and stopped me right in front of it as he always did. My heart began to race... I began to think it didn't matter how long I stayed with Master Naraku, I would never get used to this part... Master Naraku began to slide his hand through my kimono, looking down at me as he began to slip it off of me. I always closed my eyes, or looked off to the side. This time I did both. Suddenly, I could feel Master Naraku's warm breath on my neck. My breathing began to become unsteady as my heart rate quickened even more, I could feel him planting small kisses along my neck that I left exposed.

"Ma-Mater Na-" I began to say in confusion, this wasn't a part of his normal routine. But he cut me off...

"Shh..." He hushed me softly as he began to pick me up and set me down on my back onto the warm, soft comforts of his bed. I began to open my eyes... This wasn't normal; I had to know what he was going to do next. I could feel my face burning; I knew I was blushing a dark shade of red as Master Naraku began to undress himself. He smiled down at me and reached down, moving my legs apart with his clawed hands. I closed them back, placing my hands between them, as if protecting myself the best way I could from him. Master Naraku's smile quickly twisted into a frustrated frown.

He kneeled down on top of me, one of his hands supporting him to sit up and the other snaking back between my legs to force them apart. "Don't make this any harder than it has to be, Rin."

I couldn't help but grab his hand and move it away... I didn't want this... I wanted what he use to give me. Warmth and security... "Just stop..." I said softly, looking up at him as a tear fell down my cheek.

Master Naraku narrowed his eyes down at me and began to sit up on his knees, his red orbs staring down at me... I've never seen him this way, but I knew he was very upset with me. I let out a loud gasp as Master Naraku slapped me hard across my face. I was speechless for a moment, trying to process in my mind what had just happened until tears started streaming down my cheeks without stop. I began crying and turned over on my side as I placed my hands over my face... Not wanting him to see my weakness. Master Naraku grabbed my arm and forced me back flat on my back, taking one of my legs and placing it over his shoulder. My crying stopped, and I let out a loud scream as I felt a sharp pain between my legs.

"Stop!" I screamed out, reaching out to dig my nails down into his chest, "You're hurting me Master Naraku!"

Master Naraku merely grinned down at me, his hips starting to pound against mine. He leaned down closer towards me; placing a hand against my cheek... it seemed as though he was trying to study me, moving his hips at different angles and speeds to gage my reaction... He would laugh at me sometimes when certain motions would hurt me and I'd let out a pained cried... I wanted it to stop, I even tried to pretend that I wasn't even there... It felt as though this torment would last for all of eternity.

Master Naraku soon began to slow to a stop, his breathing just as heavy as mines was. I let out a gasp and my body shuddered lightly as I felt something warm inside me... My eyes began to haze over and my head weakly rolled off to the side. My throat burned harshly, I felt as though I would never be able to speak again. Master Naraku leaned down to my neck and started to kiss and bite possessively. I closed my eyes...warm tears falling down until I lost consciousness...

_**XXX**_

The next morning, Mistress Kagura awakened me with a hard slap across the face. I held my face and began to sit up... It was another day, another day of hard work without the usual comfort I usually had at night. It was hard for me to walk; I was hurting really bad... Mistress Kagura didn't care one bit, even so she seemed to be making things even harder for me. First thing in the morning it was time to water the plants before the sun fully came up.

"Hurry up." Mistress Kagura scolded at me as she kicked me forward into the garden, causing me to stumble forward and fall face first into the dirt.

... I felt hollow inside... I felt like I didn't want to go on living any longer... No... I knew I shouldn't be the one feeling this way, they should feel this way for even doing this to me, and countless other children who are going through what I am and maybe even worse... I looked up at the Pieris bush and snatched off a few leaves and flowers, shoving them into my kimono and stood up before Mistress Kagura would have an excuse to bury my head into the dirt. If all animals had to do was eat this plant to die...I wonder what would happen if I were to... Make tea... or honey out of it.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

I stood silently, grinding the tea leaves finely while Mistress Kagura stood over me, sometimes smacking me if she thought that I did something wrong... But I think she would have smacked me no matter what I did, I never changed how I made my tea, though she walked away from me when Master Naraku come into the kitchen as though I had improved somehow.

"Good morning Father." Mistress Kagura said sweetly, walking him over to the head seat of the kitchen table. "Your morning tea will be ready soon, I'm sure it will be to your likings."

As Mistress Kagura did me the favor of distracting Master Naraku and herself, I fished a few Pieris leaves from my kimono and mixed them in with the tea leaves. I quickly began to grind them finely before Mistress Kagura came back to check on my progress. I glanced back over my shoulder and saw Mistress Kagura merely laughing, trying to be flirty while Master Naraku seemed to be rubbing his temples. His red eyes suddenly glanced up to see me looking at him. I must have given him some sort of wrong idea because the corner of his mouth curved into a small smile. Mistress Kagura looked up at me as Master Naraku did, causing me to turn back to the tea I was making, not wanting to provoke Mistress Kagura any more than I just did.

"What's taking so long with the tea?" Mistress Kagura called out, a clear aggravated tone in her voice.

"A-almost ready Mistress Kagura..." I said lowly, but loud enough for her to hear me. I didn't want to make her repeat herself.

I carefully poured the tea into the beautifully handmade clay cups... The tea smelled sweeter than usual, I wondered how it might taste. I picked up the small tray that held the tea cups and sat it between Mistress Kagura and Master Naraku, sitting on my knees with my head bowed and my hands placed in my lap like Mistress Kagura trained me to do. I glanced up curiously after a moment, wondering why I haven't been hit yet followed by Mistress Kagura's rant on how tea should be made. Mistress Kagura's eyes were blissfully closed as she sipped the tea, she was obviously pleased.

"This tea tastes absolutely lovely... You taught Rin well today Kagura." Master Naraku praised Mistress Kagura.

Mistress Kagura smiled happily over to her father, cherishing the compliment for she did not get them often. I frowned deeply on the inside... Maybe the poison was not enough to kill a demon, though I suppose I found a nice recipe to make tea taste nice so that Mistress Kagura wouldn't beat me about the tea any longer.

_**XXX**_

Day by day, I kept using the Pieris leaves to make that lovely smelling and apparently, divine tasting tea. I began to notice Mistress Kagura and Master Naraku were becoming sicker and sicker by the day. Master Naraku was currently complaining of chest pains while Mistress Kagura was completely incapacitated. She could barely breathe at all, but she still called for her tea, only drinking small sips. Naraku soon called a healer to his home, hoping he would somehow cure this sudden plague. The healer held a grave look on his face... He didn't know what was even wrong with the two let alone know what to do. It has gotten to where Master Naraku was in the same state as his daughter.

"Rin..." Master Naraku gasped out between ragged breathing, reaching out until I took his hand into my own, looking down into his blood red orbs.

A grin began to spread across my face as I looked down at the mighty demon that I have brought to his knees. Master Naraku merely glared at me, and then his hand tightened over mine, he knew now, he knew at that moment that I was the one that did this to him. He began to struggle a bit to try and speak to the healer, to warn him that I was the one that made him and his daughter gravely ill. But sadly, his voice box seemed to be of no more use, his throat was closing up on him.

"It'll be okay Master Naraku..." I smiled down at him sweetly, picking up the clay cup full of my special tea, "Here, have some more tea..."

Tea spilled over out of Master Naraku's mouth as his face turned purple, then a light shade of blue. The healer pulled me away sadly, closing Master Naraku's eye lids.

"I'm sorry dear... But your master and mistress are gone..." The healer tried to explain to me.

I looked up at the seemingly young feline type demon and tilted my head as though I didn't understand to concept of death. "Gone?"

The man smiled at me and patted my head, "Hey, I bet you're in need of a new home."

Another smile began to spread across my face as the feline demon lifted me into his arms, lightly caressing my check. I began to wonder how he felt about tea.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

_**~Two Years Later~**_

_**-Sesshomaru's POV-**_

"I refuse." I said to my father, upset that he would even suggest this for me.

"But sweet heart." Mother cooed, holding onto me tightly, nuzzling her cheek against mine. "You only turn five hundred once; we only want to make it special for you."

I groaned and closed my eyes... I hated that my mother was so clingy to me, "I know mother... But I have no need for a human slave, father has plenty." I said, giving father a harsh look.

"He is going if he likes it or not. I spent a lot of money on these tickets and they are not going to waste." Father said, his arms folded across his chest.

I, unlike many of my acquaintances, did not agree with the keeping of human slaves or pets. It angered me deeply that my own father would ignore my wishes and force me to see his point of view on the matter.

"My little Sesshy..." Mother said, looking at me pleadingly.

I rolled my eyes, looking away from the both of them. Father had enough money to buy the tickets and tear them up without a care, he is just making excuses. But... I loved my mother, and didn't want to disappoint her at all. I simply sighed and glanced over at her as she held onto my arm. "I'll go..." I looked over at father with an angered gaze, "But I will **not** purchase a slave."

Mother excitedly kissed my cheek while father continued to get ready to leave the castle to head off to the auction. I smiled softly over at my mother; she was unlike everyone else in my family. She free spirited and almost childlike... I loved that about her, she was the only reason I stayed here.

_**XXX**_

The village where the auction was held wasn't that far away, it was in fact within walking distance. When we arrived, there was already a large crowd surrounding the wolf demons that operated the trade. Naturally, when the other demons saw us approaching they split apart and allowed us to walk to the front. Being close to the Lord of the western lands sometimes had its perks.

"Isn't this exciting?" Mother cooed as she pinched my cheek carefully with her sharp clawed hands.

"I suppose." I sighed, wishing she would stop doing this to me, but not wanting to disrespect her.

I felt...Uncomfortable and out of place even though I didn't show it much. I didn't want anyone that knew me to see me here. I'd never live down being called a hypocrite.

"Relax Sesshomaru." Father said, his gaze remaining ahead. "You are a Prince; it is high time to start acting like one. I know you don't agree with owning other creatures, but this is the way of life for us, it's time to accept and embrace it."

He always could read right through me and was always on my back about something. I wished he would stop trying to make me into his image and just accept who I am. "Yes Father..." I said simply, not wanting to get into another fight with him, especially in public. I fixed my gaze straight ahead as well, waiting for the wolf demons to begin the auction.

A wolf demon with a scar across his eye came the middle of the crowd, holding his arms up with a smile on his face, "Thank you ladies and gentlemen for coming to our humble affair today!" He announced, provoking a lot of cheers from the crowd and causing me to roll my eyes. "We have a fascinating pick of slaves for you today, rare and exciting ones in fact. To start with we have The Bad Omen of the West."

'The Bad Omen of the West.' I thought to myself as a small grin started to spread across my face. That particular slave, where ever she went a strange plague would curse the family that owned her. I watched as two wolf demons dragged the naked girl out, holding both her arms behind her back. They dragged her up front towards the crowd so they could get a good look at her and forced her to her knees. She held her head down, her hair curtaining down to the ground.

The wolf demon that held the scar across his eye moved forward to the girl and lifted her chin, making her look up at the crowd of demons... Her eyes held no kind of emotion; they were hazed over, almost dead looking. She was young... maybe fifteen, still only a pup for her species. To be that young, and already have such a terrifying reputation. Though... She was very beautiful for a human. Soft dainty features, dark midnight black hair and beautiful chocolate, calculating brown eyes...absent of warmth and affection that was denied to her since the uprising began. I knew when I saw her that I had to have her.

"Who would be stupid enough to want that human?" Father chuckled in amusement.

I raised my hand at that moment and silenced all the other hushed whispers, "600 gold!"

Everyone went quiet and jaws dropped, even my parents as they all stared at me like I was a mad man, asking to pay top dollar for my death warrant.

_**-Rin's POV-**_

I inwardly and bitterly laughed on the inside... No demon in their right mind would ever want to purchase me. That meant I would be put down, I will be dinner to a family of wolf demons because that was my only worth if they couldn't get any money out of my existence... But that was fine, I missed my mother... I missed my father. After today when I am not sold, I will at least be reunited with them in the afterlife.

"600 gold!" I heard a strong male voice call out.

My eyes widened and I glance up towards the demon fool enough to even think about owning me. I gasped lightly and my face turned a soft shade of red without my control... The demon was breath-taking. He had long silvery hair with soft amber eyes... an unlike all the other male demons that I have come across, he didn't have that perverted look in his eyes when he looked at me... No... His face and eyes held no emotion what so ever, none that I could read anyway. My eyes moved to see a light blue crescent moon on his head and two scarlet lines on both of his cheeks. Those marks, he was the first born to a very powerful bloodline.

"S-sold!" The leader of the wolf tribe called out obviously surprised that I was sold "To the son of our Lord of the West!"

My eyes widened even more... The Lord of the West's son took interest in me?... What could he possibly want with me...?

_**-Sesshomaru's POV-**_

I started to walk towards the girl, to claim what was now mine when father grabbed my arm and pulled me back, "What the hell are you thinking!" He snapped at me, his grip tightening on my arm, "You can't be seriously thinking of bringing that girl home, she will be the death of us!"

I snatched my arm away from him, keeping my emotions under wrap while he lost control of his, "You brang me here to purchase a slave... Well I have made my purchase, my mind is made up." I turned my back on him and made my way over to the girl that was now mine.

The wolf demons stepped back as I offered my hand out to the girl. She looked up at me, her emotions carefully guarded and as were mine. She reached up after a moment and took my hand, causing me to smile and close my hand over hers to gently pull her to her feet. I wrapped my boa around her naked frame and kept a hold on her hand as I lead her over to my parents. Mother held a horrified and speechless look on her face as she looked at me while father just shook his head, turning and beginning to leave the village. I know I disappointed them both with this decision... But I felt deep within me, that I made a good choice.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

_**-Sesshomaru's POV-**_

I stood outside the servant's quarters, waiting patiently for the servant girls to finish dressing the girl I had purchased earlier today.

"What are we waiting on father?" Inuyasha asked curiously, looking up at me as his small hand tightened around mine.

Eleven years ago... My father had an affair with a human servant girl of the castle. Her name was Iziyoi and father found her to be exceedingly beautiful for a human. She was so beautiful in fact that father found it right to court the human girl and pup her. Father most certainly didn't want mother to find out, so he came up with a quick and dirty plan. Since I was known to be much gentler on the humans, father came to me and told me his sin and his betrayal to my mother... He asked me if I would take the blame for his selfish act. A part of me wanted to refuse and let that smug bastard lay in the bed that he had made for himself... But a bigger part of me didn't want to see my mother's heart shatter. I took the blame, and told mother that I had brought great shame to our family and pupped a human servant girl. Iziyoi died during Inuyasha's birth, but I took the boy as my own since I knew father wanted nothing to do with his existence during that time. To this day Inuyasha doesn't know who his true father is and he only has a painted picture of his mother. I am truly all he has in this world.

At that moment, the elder of the human women brang the girl out to me. Her gaze was casted down to the ground as she held onto the old woman's arm, hiding behind her as if she would be protected by that withering body.

"It's alright little one..." The old woman said to the girl softly, taking her hand and bringing her closer to me, "He is kind... He will not hurt you."

The girl looked up at me, doubt lacing her eyes as she hesitantly let go of the elder's hand, standing in front of me with her hands held together in front of her. I simply stared down at her, studying her as she studied me, the elder heading back into the servant's quarters.

"Wow..." Inuyasha said after a moment, breaking the silence and drawing the girl's attention to him. "She looks just like mama father!" Inuyasha said excitedly, looking up at me as he tugged on the sleeve of my kimono.

_**-Rin's POV-**_

I could feel my face burning and my eyes widen when the small demon boy spoke... I looked like his mother? Does that mean she was a human? Did that mean that this child was a half demon? I began to study the child. He didn't have any markings of the family on his face, the only way you could tell the child was a demon was his snow white hair and the... admittingly cute Inu ears atop of his head.

The demon that had purchased me merely looked down at the child, his face void of emotion. "She is not your mother Inuyasha... It is getting late, it's time for bed."

"But Father..." The child, Inuyasha I suppose his name was, whined.

"No complaining. Go to bed." The Inu demon said to his son firmly.

The child pouted, but ran off down the walkway of the castle, disappearing around a corner. Soon after he had gone, the young demon lord turned his attention back to me. I turned my gaze back to the ground.

"Look up at me." He commanded me.

I looked up, my years of training by many masters and mistresses kicking in.

"Tell me your name."

"...Rin."

"Rin..." He looked into my eyes for a moment before speaking again, "My name is Sesshomaru... I shall be your new master."

I nodded, my gaze not leaving his. I swallowed hard... his gaze was intense, but... I felt I didn't want to look away, even if he told me to, I wanted to keep looking into those golden orbs of his. This feeling... what was it?...

The silence was soon sliced when my stomach unleashed a roar of hunger, demanding that I put something in it. I turned a dark shade of red seeing a small smile play across my new master's face.

"Hungry?" He asked, obviously hold back an amused chuckle.

I simply nodded, my eyes quickly falling to the ground in embarrassment. I looked back up after a moment to see the young demon lord rounding a corner. I looked around nervously, not really knowing what to do. I took a chance and ran up in the direction he went. I found him and continued to run until I caught up with him slowed down to a walk, walking right behind him.

I looked up at him... His hair was extremely long and it looked silky. A part of me wanted to reach out and touch it to sate my curiosity... But I knew better. I knew I couldn't touch him unless I asked or he told me to. I didn't know how brutal this demon could be to me and I surely didn't want to find out just this moment. But... as I kept looking at and studying his hair, I found I wanted to touch it more and more. I started to reach out after a moment, about to touch his hair, telling and convincing myself that he would not notice.

Before I could even lay a finger on him, he came to a stop. My heart began to race at least a hundred miles an hour and I quickly put my hand to my side. Biting my lower lip hard and closing my eyes tight, waiting to be struck... But nothing ever came. I heard a door sliding open and opened my eyes, hesitantly looking up. The door on the side of me was open and I quickly rushed inside, scared of losing my master and being lost in such a giant castle... If I were to force my master to find me, I was sure to be punished.

I let out a gasp as an apple was thrown my way, acting quickly and catching it in my hands. I looked up to see Master Sesshomaru looking over at me, walking up towards me to close the space between us.

"I'm not sure what humans eat exactly." He said, looking down at me.

I looked down at the apple for a moment before looking back up at him, bringing the apple to my lips to take a bite. A small smile graced his flawless face, causing me to flush a soft shade of pink. This felt off to me... Why did I feel so nervous? My hand absently came up to clench my kimono, near my heart. Why did my heart feel as if it wanted to pound its way out of my chest?.

"Se-Sesshomaru..."

Both our attentions were drawn to the soft voice that echoed at the entrance of the kitchen. There stood the mother of Master Sesshomaru, a concerned look spread across her face. She was so pretty... beyond pretty. No word I could think of would do her justice. She had long silvery hair that was pulled up into two pony tails, her soft amber eyes filled with the motherly love that I was use to see in my own mother's. The same marks Sesshomaru held framing her face, making her look exotic.

"Yes mother?" Master Sesshomaru responded, his gaze moving back to me as I nervously took another bite of the apple he had given me.

"It... It is not proper for the slave to eat in our dining hall..." His mother said, sounding as though it were difficult for her to bring up.

I looked up at Master Sesshomaru, feeling even more nervous and awaiting his command for me to leave this room. He had his eyes narrowed at his mother, causing her to look away from him.

"...Come." He said after a moment, starting to leave the kitchen.

I quickly ran up behind him, not wanting to be left behind in the kitchen with the women who obviously didn't even want me here... It was my constant experience that the women were much tougher on me than the men ever were. I could see right now that I would have to kill her very soon.

_**-Sesshomaru's Mother's POV-**_

I bit down on my lower lip hard, watching my son lead the dangerous slave he had purchased out of the dining room. That child was known to bring plague... How could Sesshomaru bring that... that girl in here to contaminate where we eat? This wasn't good at all... He has already shamed our family by pupping that human whore and now he seems to be taking a liking to this human. I rushed out of the dining room, heading to the chambers I shared with my love... We had to have a word about this...

"Love..." I said softly, standing in the door way as I watched my mate map out the Northern Lands, preparing for the next territory war.

"Mhm?" He responded, not even bothering to look up at me.

"I'm worried... About Sesshomaru... Maybe it was a bad idea to push him into buying a slave. You know he has been too friendly with the humans in the past..." I began to explain, watching him stop working at that moment to look up at me apathetically.

"Are you saying you regret having dear little Inuyasha around?" He asked, seeming to be studying my facial expression.

"Of course not, what's done is done and Inuyasha is a lovely child, a perfect grandson... But honey, we need not have any more shame like that to befall our name." I explained to him the best I could.

My love sighed and turned back to his work. "I wouldn't worry about that if I were you. I'd be more concerned on how the human might kill us. It is not coincidence that all of her masters and mistresses are turned up dead. I'll keep an eye on the both of them regardless."

I sighed softly and made my way towards the bed me and my love shared, curling under the furred covers. I would just have to put my full trust into him, and hope that he knew how to control Sesshomaru as well as he thinks he can.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

_**-Rin's POV-**_

Master Sesshomaru led me off to the depths of the castle. Thanks to my past experiences, this made me feel very uneasy. I took in a deep breath as my Master stopped in front of sliding double doors. The doors were beautifully crafted; in fact they were very much like the design on his kimono, white with a few red hexagons with flowers in the center. Master Sesshomaru reached out and began to slide the doors open, causing me to peek inside with awe. The room was brightly lit by many candles that were decoratively scattered throughout the room. In the center lay the biggest and gorgeous bed I have seen in my life, a canopy with the same design as his door draping down from the ceiling and over his bed. In the far corner held what looked like a miniature handmade waterfall. I made my way over to it, mesmerized by its beauty as I kneeled down beside it.

Master Sesshomaru made his way through the room, blowing out a few candle to where the light was dulled and dim, he made his way over to me, looking down at me. I looked up at him, I don't know how I knew exactly, but I knew he wanted me to stand up. I rose to my feet and he took my hand, leading me over to the bed in the center of his room. My heart began to pound in my chest... It was starting, my hell would start tonight. Though... that was fine, after this I would have a reason to make my tea for the whole family. Master Sesshomaru let go of my hand once we made it to his bed. I instinctively crawled in and curled under the furred cover, looking up at him. He simply looked down at me for a moment and then began to walk away towards the double doors.

"Ma-Master..." I found myself calling out as I sat up, the covers falling into my lap.

Master Sesshomaru stopped in front of the door, "You need your rest... I have business to tend to." He said simply before leaving out the room, shutting the doors behind him.

I was... Shocked. None of my master's let me sleep in their bed without them their selves being there to lay with me. I lay down and pulled the soft furred blanket over my head, trying to process what was happening in my head... It made no sense. Why would a demon, a son of a great demon at that let a lowly human like me sleep in his bed alone without in some way using me. I waited for a moment, seeing if he would creep back in like the son of my second master, to fondle me while I am on the brink of sleep... But he never came back. I sighed and just tried to relax, if he hadn't come in yet he wasn't going to. My eyes began to close, feeling myself drifting off to sleep until I heard the sliding doors slowly sliding open.

_**-Sesshomaru's POV-**_

I shut the doors behind me after leaving the room, softly sighing to myself... I was late. I began to leave the castle, closing my eyes to concentrate my power until it was nothing but pure energy. I was nothing but an orb of light as I moved at the speed of light half way across the Western lands to the Eastern lands border.

"You're late." I heard her soft voice call out, my body beginning to materialize.

I looked over to see her... The Inu demon princess of the East, Yumiko. She was what you would expect from a princess, beautiful, graceful and powerful. "I know..." I said softly as I began to make my way over towards her.

She came closer to me as well, looking up at me as she reached up to wrap her arms around my neck. Since we were pups, our family's had our marriage arranged and neither one of us had any objections to it. I reached my hand to the back of her head, pulling the tie out that held her silvery hair in a ponytail. Her hair cascading down her shoulders and back. She smiled softly up at me as I began to run my thumb over the blue lines that framed her face. Her nose began to twist up and she let out a small hiss as she pushed me away.

"You reek of a human female..." She said sourly. "Don't tell me you've relapsed."

I merely glared at her for a moment before responding, "Father made me purchase a slave."

She narrowed her golden amber orbs at me, "Is that all she is? A slave?"

I gave a single nod as I stepped forward, closing the space between us. She smiled up at me once again and placed a dainty clawed hand on my cheek. I placed my hand on hers, "Don't let me find out you are fathering a second bastard child. One is far too many." She teased me; at least, I hope she is only teasing.

_**-Rin's POV-**_

I looked over towards the opening door, biting my lower lip hard as my heart pounded a thousand miles per hour. I knew it, I just knew it. This always happened without fail... I felt like a fool for ever even thinking about trusting a demon... Though, the door only stayed cracked for a moment, I soon began to think the door was a bit broken and slid open itself until I saw someone peak their silvery head in. I sat up to get a good look and saw it was the child of Master Sesshomaru's.

"Are you awake?" He whispered after a moment, slowly slipping inside the room after looking around and confirming his father was indeed not in the room.

I began to toss the blankets aside and get out of bed, "Y-yes?"

The boy began to smile, showing he had lost a tooth recently, "I'm sorry I woke you up, I just wanted to see you really bad. You look a lot like my mom." The boy began to run over to me.

I began to blush a little, "Uh... So I guess your mom was a human?"

The boy nodded, smiling even wider, "Yeah, and she had really long black hair like yours too. Hey, what's your name? Mine's Inuyasha."

"M..My name is Rin." I answered the boy, smiling down softly at him... He was a really sweet boy. Most children of demon family's choose not to even know of my existence.

"That's a pretty name. Hey, wanna go play in grandma's garden with me? It's really pretty there, it's even prettier at night there might even be lightning bugs out tonight." Inuyasha sounded very excited, like he wasn't use to talking to many people at all.

I gave a small warm laugh and nodded, "Yeah, I'd love to go play with you Inuyasha."

The boy smiled brightly and took my hand, running out of Master Sesshomaru's room. I followed him and soon began to run on my own. With Inuyasha... I felt myself relax and actually felt like a kid again.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8**_

_**-Rin's POV-**_

Inuyasha giggles as he kicked his little red ball my way, causing me to run off into the direction the ball was heading. I found myself happily laughing as I kicked it back towards him. Inuyasha ran over towards the ball, trying to kick it back my way but missed, causing the ball to bounce off into the jungle of many beautiful flowers.

"I'll get it!" I giggled as I ran past Inuyasha, into the direction where the ball had bounced off to.

I pushed past bushes of roses and other plants as I began my search of the runaway ball. I felt so care free and happy, maybe staying here wouldn't be so bad, Inuyasha made me feel welcomed and treated me like I was a person and not just some toy his father had brought home from the market. I let out a happy gasp after finding the little red ball behind a white rose bush and rushed over to pick it up, giggling as I began to run back to Inuyasha to finish our kick ball game.

When I drew close I began to call out to Inuyasha to tell him I had found the ball... but what I saw after pushing away the red rose bush made me stop in my tracks. There were two human boys, one around Inuyasha's age and one around my age. The smaller boy pushed Inuyasha to the ground while the taller boy began to kick him in the side. I could feel myself growing cold as I stood there and watched the scene, listening to the boys call Inuyasha a freak and tell him he was worse than they were... What was wrong with these children, why would they even say anything like that if they already knew the pain of being treated like nothing lower that dirt? But the fact is they didn't truly know what that was like. These children were most likely born here, shielded from what was actually going on in the world and didn't have to watch demons slaughter their families in front of them. These were spoiled selfish children. Without thinking, I lifted the ball and began to aim it, throwing it as hard as I could. The older boy must have heard it hurling towards him, because he turned around to be meet by the ball. It smacked him hard enough in the face to knock him unconscious and leave a circular red mark right in the middle of the face.

"Koji!" The smaller boy called out in fear and surprise, looking over to who could have possible done such a thing.

I began to make my way towards them both, watching as the smaller boy began to shake a bit in fear. He quickly dropped to his knees and began to try and shake the older boy awake.

"Koji! Koji wake up! A demon is coming!" The younger boy cried out.

A demon? They thought I was a demon... Did I seem that terrifying? I continued to make my way towards him. The older boy sat up with a groan while the younger boy used that chance to lift the older boy to his feet and drag him away.

I stopped as I looked over at them as they ran away, "Cowards..." I murmured to myself before looking over towards Inuyasha.

He stared up at me, his face wet with tears. I reached out towards him, taking his hand and helping him up off the ground.

"Are you okay?" I asked Inuyasha as he began to wipe his face dry with the sleeve of his red kimono.

"I-I'm fine... This always happens..." He murmured, looking away from me, it was clear he was ashamed and didn't want me to see him in his weak state.

"Why would they do such a thing to you?" I asked Inuyasha as I patted away the dirt and dust off his kimono.

Inuyasha merely shrugged, softly sniffling, "Because I'm different I guess... But it's okay, father said I should always be kind to humans."

I was furious as I looked at the small bruise on the boy's face, "You should only be kind to the ones that are kind to you Inuyasha... They don't deserve your forgiveness, and you should fight back. They will keep doing this to you if you don't show them who is boss."

Inuyasha merely shook his head and reached out to pick up the ball that lay in front of his feet. "Father would be upset with me. I don't want him to be upset, I like to make him proud."

I sighed and shook my head; children will always do what makes their parents happy.

"Rin... Inuyasha..."

We both looked up to see Master Sesshomaru and a demon woman that looked just as perfect as he was holding onto his arm lightly with both of hers.

"Father!" Inuyasha cheered as he ran over to Master Sesshomaru, hugging his father and attaching himself to his kimono.

The demon woman looked down at the boy, pure disgust clearly shown on her face before quickly forcing it away and looking up at Master Sesshomaru with a soft smile ... I didn't like her, I could tell she was going to be an issue for me.

"Inuyasha..." Master Sesshomaru said, a bit irritated, "I thought I told you to go to bed for the night."

Inuyasha kept a hold on his father as he looked up at him, "I wanted to play with Rin really bad... I'm sorry..."

"...Rin is not a toy. Go to bed, I am very upset with you." Master Sesshomaru said sternly. "You may take Rin with you if you wish."

The woman holding onto Master Sesshomaru's arm giggled lightly, "Keep being a problem child for dear Sesshomaru and I'll just have to punish you myself."

Inuyasha looked up at the woman then let go of Master Sesshomaru, turning to run over to me and grab my hand. "C-come on Rin." Inuyasha started to run off with me, out of sight of Master Sesshomaru and his mate.

Inuyasha lead me throughout the castle, not stopping or saying anything until he reached a single sliding door. He opened it, still holding on tightly to my hand as he pulled me into the room. Inuyasha shut the door and began to light a few candles to brighten up the pitch black room.

"So I guess that was your new mom huh." I said after the room brightened up, trying to make small talk.

Inuyasha's face twisted up into a disgusted look and quickly shook his head, "She's not my mom. She's really mean to me when father isn't around." Inuyasha said as he began to sit on his bed.

I came to sit next to him, "Well, If she's so mean to you, why don't you tell your father?"

Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders, looking down at the ground, "Well Father really likes her a lot and she makes him happy. As long as father is happy I don't mind if she is mean to me. Grandma and Grandpa like her a lot too, they want father to marry her someday."

I felt sorry for this child, he didn't really care about himself as long as he could make his father happy. He puts up with a lot of pain and a lot of hatred, just to know he isn't a burden on his father. Inuyasha began to lie down and I lay beside him, he wrapped his arms around me and buried his face into my chest. He fell asleep quickly while I began to gently stroke the back of his head, closing my eyes. Inuyasha and I were two of a kind in a way I suppose, void of any sort of affection. Though Inuyasha did have his father, but I could see Master Sesshomaru had no idea the pain this boy is feeling inside.

_**-Yumiko's POV-**_

I lightly rubbed my soon to be husband's chest as I nuzzled under his soft furred blankets...They smelled a bit weird, but I tried to push that out of my mind. I looked up at Sesshomaru and saw his eyes were closed, he must have fallen asleep. I smiled softly to myself; he was a gorgeous talented being... It was just too bad his morals were in the wrong place. His father will soon rule over both the northern and western lands, and with my marriage to his son he will also be in on my father's territory. Sesshomaru should be trying to fight his father for dominance and take control of everything himself. Sesshomaru was indeed weak and I wished I could change him, though he is far too old for me to change... Besides it wasn't my duty to worry about such things anyway.

My priority was to take over all of the lands from the inside. As soon as Sesshomaru and I are wed, my father will gather an army, while I kill whoever I am able so they won't be able to put up much of a fight. I reached up and gently caressed Sesshomaru's cheek... he was simply flawless, beyond perfect... Too bad I had to kill such a work of art.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9**_

_**-Sesshomaru's POV-**_

Yumiko kissed my cheek as we walked towards the gates of the castle, "Sorry I can't stay longer my love, but my father is very strict about the times he wishes to see me."

I merely nodded, "It is fine I understand, until next time then."

She smiled softly and let go of my hand, walking away and taking only a few steps before she turned into a pure ball of energy. I watched her until her spark was completely out of sight, closed my eyes for a moment and began to head back inside the castle. I didn't understand why she was so attached to her father so when he could care less for the girl... Whatever made her happy I suppose, its fine.

_**-Rin's POV-**_

I sat up in bed groggily and began to rub my eyes and stretch out with a loud yawn... It was morning already? I still felt so very tired...

"Rin!" Inuyasha called as he slid open the door of his room, rushing inside towards me with a bowl. "You're awake! Look I got you something to eat out of grandma's garden."

I looked down into the bowl curiously and saw it was filled with various fruits, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. I took the bowl happily and picked up a strawberry, placing it in my mouth. It was the most perfect strawberry I had ever tasted in my life. Me and Inuyasha sat in bed, eating the fruit and making small conversation until his door was slid open.

"Father!" Inuyasha cheered as Master Sesshomaru stepped into the room, attaching himself to Master Sesshomaru's leg.

"Good Morning Inuyasha." Master Sesshomaru said softly, placing a clawed hand on the boy's head gently then looking over at me. "Good Morning Rin."

I stopped mid-chew on a wild berry as I returned his gaze, my heart feeling as though it were pounding out of my chest. I swallowed the fruit quickly and gave a small bow of my head, "Good Morning Master Sesshomaru."

Inuyasha looked up at his father with a hopeful look in his eye, "Father, may Rin and I go to the hot springs today?"

'Hot Springs...?' I thought to myself. It's been a long time since I've been to a hot spring and I had to admit, it seemed like a blissful idea to me at the moment.

Master Sesshomaru looked down at the boy, "After you misbehaved and drug Rin out to play with you in the middle of the night? Why should I offer a reward for misbehavior?"

Inuyasha made a small pout and began to beg his father to forgive him and allow him to go to the hot springs. I softly smiled at the two and began to think of moments like these that I use to have with my parents... I missed them so very much.

"Very well." Master Sesshomaru finally gave in to his son's constant begging, "Gather your clothes and let's head out."

_**XXX**_

_**-Sesshomaru's POV-**_

I watched as both Inuyasha and Rin ran ahead of me on our walk to the hot springs, they seemed to get along very well. Rin began to run past Inuyasha and drop down to her knees, admiring the wildflowers that grew in this area. She began to pick a few and bring them to her face, closing her eyes to take in their aroma. She seemed to love nature, and it was clear by the look on her face that it brought her peace.

"Rin! Come on, it's this way!" Inuyasha rushed the girl as he tugged on the sleeve of her kimono.

Rin stood back to her feet, holding the flowers she had just picked close to her chest, and began to let Inuyasha drag her towards the hot springs. Rin dropped her spare clothes and flowers by the nearest tree near the hot springs as her and Inuyasha began to undress and rush towards the springs. I lifted an eyebrow and turned my head off to the side as I placed Inuyasha's spare kimono near Rin's and taking a seat near the tree, my back resting against it. The girl was clearly not aware that she was indeed a young woman and didn't seem to be embarrassed or hesitant to strip down like that. I closed my eyes with a sigh before opening them again to glance at them both. Rin was cupping water into her hands, looking down into it at her reflection. Inuyasha ran up behind her and jumped on her back, dunking her into the water then quickly swimming off.

"Inuyasha!" Rin shouted out at him, trying to swim up and catch him.

I absently began to watch as the sun glisson off her wet sun kissed skin. The water of the springs rushing down her chest, making her seem as if she were shining. At that moment I felt as if I should have left Inuyasha at home, so I could enjoy this scene more for myself. I closed my eyes and began to grind my teeth down a bit. How could I be having such thoughts? I wanted to save this girl from people like that... and here I was being no different from the many others that may have abused this girl in that way...

"Father!" I heard Inuyasha shout out at me, causing me to open my eyes again.

_**-Rin's POV-**_

After a while Inuyasha and I began to run out of the springs, it was beginning to get a bit windy and we didn't want to catch a cold. We ran over to where we dropped our clothes and quickly began to get dressed. We looked over towards Master Sesshomaru and noticed something seemed wrong. He had his eyes closed tight with a distressed look on his face. Inuyasha and I kneeled down in front of him while Inuyasha began to call out to his father. Master Sessomaru began to open his eyes and looked directly at me. He had an apologetic look in his eyes which confused me deeply. Master Sesshomaru looked down and took one of the flowers I had picked earlier and began to lift it up towards me, placing it in my hair.

"Wow that looks really pretty on you Rin-chan." Inuyasha said admiringly.

But my gaze never broke away from Master Sesshomaru's. I began to smile softly at him, quickly leaning in to kiss his cheek. Master Sesshomru brung a clawed hand up to his cheek, a surprised look in his eyes. I giggled lightly and grabbed Inuyasha's hand, rushing off with him back towards the direction of the castle.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter 10**_

_**-Sesshomaru's POV-**_

I watched as Rin and Inuyasha ran into the castle gates and into the garden, my hand still placed against my cheek. I was still very deep in thought, my gaze placed on the ground as I walked. My cheek still felt the warmth of the young girl's lips even after the long walk back to the castle... Ive never felt this way before about a mere kiss to the cheek even with Yumiko... What was this feeling?

"Be careful you two, Inuyasha you know how dangerous it is to get careless out here." I could hear my mother begin to lecture them both as they ran and played in the garden.

I walked inside the gates of the garden, looking over at my mother, my hand still absently placed against my cheek. Mother looked over at me with a concerned look and began to make her way over towards me.

"Sesshomaru..." She said taking my hand and trying to move it away from my face. "What's the matter? Did you injure yourself while you were out?" She took my hand from my face but didn't see any sort of flesh wound so she gently smelled my cheek, pulling away to look over at Inuyasha and Rin while they seemed to be having a game of hide and seek. "Sesshomaru... Aren't you happy you are going to be married soon? Start a family of your own with Yumiko?"

I glanced over at my mother and gave her a questioning look, why would she ask me such a thing? "I suppose."

Mother just looked up at me and placed her hand against my cheek, a concerned look lacing her eyes as she bit down on her lower lip. "Well Yumiko is here to see you, I'll go get her." Mother took her hand off of my cheek and began to leave the garden.

Yumiko has returned already? She had just left this morning to go see what her father wanted of her. Usually she wouldn't be done until the next day and she'd signal for me to come get her. I wonder why she has come back so suddenly.

I walked over to the large cherry blossom tree in the center of the garden and stood under it, it's shade seeming to supply a cool breeze. Within moment I spotted Yumiko entering the garden, but mother was no where in sight, usually she liked Yumiko's company and would join us whenever we were together.

"My love." Yumiko said softly as she came to me, her long silvery hair beginning to float in the air as she walked under the cherry blossom tree with me. She came closer to me, taking my arm into hers as she held onto it; almost possessively as we both watched Inuyasha and Rin play in the garden.

"What made you come back so early?" I asked Yumiko, my gaze not leaving Rin as she hid behind a white rose bush while Inuyasha folded his arms over an apple tree and buried his face in them, counting down until he had to search for Rin.

Yumiko began to circle her claw over my chest with an attempt to be seductive, "Well is it so wrong of me to miss my mate so bad to want to hurry back to be with him?"

I ripped my gaze away from Rin and looked down at her, giving her a small smile, "I suppose that it isn't wrong at all."

Yumiko smiled happily, "I thought so..." She whispered softly, going to kiss my cheek but she stopped with a small growl under her breath.

I looked down at her, giving her a curious look until I heard my father calling out my name. I looked up at the entrance of the castle to see my father; he was waiting for me to come to him. He must have wanted to have a word with me. "I'll be back." I said softly, giving her a kiss to the temple before making my way over to my father.

_**-Yumiko's POV-**_

I wasn't going to come back to Sesshomaru today... Until his mother sent off to find me, telling me something was seriously wrong with her son and I had to tend to him. This family was seriously needy... I couldn't wait to rid the world of them. But now, I could see why his mother was so concerned. When I went to kiss Sesshomaru's cheek I smelled her... I smelled that new slave girl of his there on his skin. She had no business touching what I had already claimed as mine. I walked over towards the girl as she began to count on the apple tree Sesshomaru's bastard son was at previously. I will teach her here and now, I will teach her to think twice before trying to take what is mine.

_**-Sesshomaru's POV-**_

"Sesshomaru." Father said as I made my way up the steps towards him, "It is in your mother's interest that we talk."

"Talk? About what?" I asked, glancing around to see if mother was near to ask what this is all about.

Father placed his hand on my back and began to lead me off within the castle so we could talk privately. "Your mother tells me you have taken an interest in that slave girl you purchased a little while ago."

I sighed a bit and closed my eyes, allowing father to continue to lead me, "She has? Well... And if I have?"

Father stopped, took his hand off my back and began to step out in front of me. "Sesshomaru, I should be the last person to lecture you on this topic but I think this should be said. Mating a human never works out in the end, and you only end up hurting the ones closest to you when it is over. Humans only live for a moment, a blink of an eye for us demons, are you really ready to deal with the heart ache that comes with a mortal love?"

I thought about what father said... and he was right. If I were to drop everyone and everything for this human girl, I would only have at least forty or fifty happy years with her. After that short time spand I will have no one. Mother will never forgive me if I let Yumiko go and father will turn his back on me just so mother would be pleased. Yumiko, I would think she would want to end us both; her rage is something I have seen and don't wish to take on first hand.

"I understand..." I said after a moment, looking up at father.

Father smiled and gave me a pat on the back, "You're smart Sesshomaru, and you always know what's best."

_**-Rin's POV-**_

I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder and quickly stopped my counting. I turned around to see Master Sesshomaru's mate staring down at me, her cold amber eyes glaring daggers of hatred at me. If looks could kill, I'd die a thousand painful deaths.

"My... Aren't you a pretty little thing." Yumiko said as a small false smile began to spread across her face, "Well I'm just sure many men would make complete fools of themselves just in your presence."

I merely looked up at her, what was she talking about? Why was she looking at me with so much hate and distaste in her eyes?

"But you should really learn your place, and remember not to touch things that are not yours." Yumiko said with a small giggle.

I let out a sharp shriek of surprise and pain when Yumiko's hand struck me across the face. Her claws had gotten caught in the blow, leaving three bleeding scratch marks on my face. My gaze wandered off as Yumiko stood over me smiling, actually taking pleasure in what she had just done to me, I saw Inuyasha and he was shuddering and keeping himself hidden behind a tree as he glanced over at us. It was clear he himself has gone through the same thing with this woman and was too frightened to even come and see if I was okay. I glanced back up at Yumiko and she tilted her head curiously at me.

"Oh? You're so very bold for a slave. Who gave you permission to look at me?" She placed her clean white shoe on my cheek and shoved my face down into the dirt.

'"Master Sesshomaru..." I found myself calling out before I could even stop it, tears running down my sore swollen cheek.

Yumiko let out another small giggle and began to grind her shoe on my cheek, burring my face more into the ground. "You're going to tell on me? How cute. You think Sesshomaru would take the word of a lowly slave girl over the word of his wife to be?" Yumiko giggled even more, enjoying the situation more than she should. She was right... This happened so many times before. I would tell the truth while the accuser told a lie and I would always be the one to get punished for lying to my master. I closed my eyes tight, trying to make the flow of tears stop... But it didn't work. Yumiko lifted her foot off my cheek suddenly and began to make her way back over towards the cherry blossom tree, a small smirk on her face.

"Rin!" Inuyasha called out as he began to run over towards me.

I rose up off the ground shakily and looked over at Inuyasha as he dropped to his knees at my side and reached out to touch my face.

"Inuyasha!" Both me and Inuyasha cringed as we heard the anger of Master Sesshomaru's voice and turned to actually see the enraged look on his face as he made his way towards us.

"Oh Sesshomaru!" Yumiko said as though she were almost on the brink of tears as she rushed to Master Sesshomaru's side. "Inuyasha started to play too rough with the girl, I told him to stop but he just wouldn't listen to me. I didn't know what to do; he is such a problem child."

"What?!" Inuyasha shouted out and stood to his feet quickly, wanting to clear his name. "Father I-!"

"Enough!" Master Sesshomaru said above Inuyasha, looking at the boy with disappointment, "Go to your room, I will deal with you later."

Inuyasha was speechless as he stared up at his father, tears starting to spill from his eyes. He closed his eyes tight and began to run off to his room, not wanting to give Yumiko the pleasure of seeing him cry.

I bit down on my lower lip hard and turned my gaze to the ground... How could she do this, why would she? I glanced up at them both and saw Yumiko smirk down at me, telling me with her eyes that this was only just the beginning as she nuzzled up against Master Sesshomaru's arm.


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: I would like to thank everyone who has read and reviewed my story so far. This is my first attempt at this sort of thing and I am so happy that so many people appear to enjoy it. I will keep writing until the end and I hope everyone still enjoys it until then. Thank You.**_

_**Chapter 11**_

_**-Sesshomaru's POV-**_

I found myself waiting outside of the servants living quarters again, waiting for them to finish bandaging up Rin and bring the girl back out to me. This all seemed very strange to me... It didn't sound right that Inuyasha would do this to the girl. The boy couldn't hurt a fly and it was obvious that he adored the girl, how could he hurt her so badly like that? Though... I just left his room, he never could look at me as he confessed to me that he simply couldn't control himself. I don't suppose he meant to be so rough with the girl, but I suppose I have to watch the two more carefully as they play for now on.

"Lord Sesshomaru..." The elder of the servants quarters said softly with a small smile on her withered face as she brang Rin out to me, holding onto the girl's hand.

Rin let go of the woman's hand, her eyes casted towards the ground as she walked over to my side. I looked down at the girl, she now held a square bandage where the claw marks lay. I reached down and lightly traced my index and middle finger over the bandage, causing her to look up at me.

"...Does it hurt?" I asked her a bit curiously.

Rin shook her head and began to glance around before hesitantly looking back up at me, "Wh-where is Miss Yumiko?"

I placed a hand on the back of the girl's head and lightly started to pet her, "I sent her home... It's late, it's time for bed."

Rin nodded as she looked up at me, she seemed to loosen up a bit, "Will you walk me to Inuyasha's room Master Sesshomaru?"

My eyes gave away my displeasure of the question, I could tell by the disappointed look in the girl's eyes, "Inuyasha is on punishment for a while... You may come and sleep with me for the time being. If that is okay."

_**-Rin's POV-**_

Inuyasha was on punishment... Well what did I expect with such a vicious lie and the stinging wound on my face. It still hurt a bit even after the old woman had put healing herbs on it and bandaged it up. Though I must admit it did hurt a lot less than it did. I reached up absently and held onto Master Sesshomarus hand... holding someone's hand always helped to calm me down. I use to always hold onto my mother's hand when we went out to the market, I was never really all that comfortable in large crowds of people.

I gave a small nod, "it's fine... I can sleep with you tonight Master Sesshomaru." Though I knew this was not fine. If Miss Yumiko found out I was so close to what was hers again, she might hurt me even worse than she did this time. But I didn't want to distress Master Sesshomaru about it, he's been the kindest to me so far. The best I could hope for was to stay by his side and as long as he was looking Miss Yumiko couldn't hurt me.

I held onto Master Sesshomaru's hand tight as he lead me down the hallways of the castle, going to his room. I looked up at him and saw he was looking straight ahead, his face showing he was deep in thought... I really hoped I wasn't causing any trouble for him.

"Master Sesshomaru..." I said after we reached his decorative double sliding doors.

Master Sesshomaru let go of my hand and began to slide a door open, "What is it, Rin." He responded, his gaze still facing ahead, waiting for me to enter his room.

I stayed by his side, "Inuyasha isn't in a lot of trouble is he... He didn't mean it, I swear."

Master Sesshomaru's eyebrows forwarded, placed a hand on my back and gave me a small push inside of his room. "Don't worry about that right now... Just get some rest, try to heal."

I closed my eyes and allowed him to push me into his room, giving a small sigh. "Yes... Master Sesshomaru."

Master Sesshomaru walked throughout the room and began to blow out candles as he did the first time he had brung me into his room, dimming the room until it seemed to glow a soft shade of orange. I crawled into Master Sesshomaru's bed and curled under the soft cozy furred covers. I pulled the covers up to my nose and took in their scent as I closed my eyes in bliss. I don't know why... But I simply loved how they smelled... I opened my eyes and looked over as I felt Master Sesshomaru get into bed. My heart began to pound a bit, I didn't expect him to get into bed with me. I thought he would be leaving like he did last time.

"What is wrong?" Master Sesshomaru asked, concern lacing his voice, it was clear he found nothing wrong with what he was doing.

"No-nothing." I stammered nervously... I felt like an idiot as I awkwardly began to try and lay down.

I watched lazily and sleepily as Master Sesshomaru pulled a scroll from the sleeve of his kimono and started to read. He didn't seem to be going to bed anytime soon... So why was he here? Why couldn't he go read somewhere else? But for some reason I didn't care all that much, I felt safe and preferred to think he was here just to protect me. I let out a small yawn and slowly began to drift off to sleep.

_**XXX**_

_**-Sesshomaru's POV-**_

I had gotten up out the bed the next morning and decided I should do something nice for Rin. I felt it was my fault that she was hurt like this, I knew Inuyasha was a problem child and shouldn't have left him alone with a frail human girl. I know it may have been just a mistake and Inuyasha doesn't know how to control his power, but I don't want that to be an excuse. He will learn what he did was wrong and hopefully it won't happen again. I brang Rin a small bowl of fruit for breakfast for her to wake up to and would be telling her I would be taking her out for the day. I felt that she would like it and hopefully would put that horrible event with Inuyasha to the back of her mind.

_**-Rin's POV-**_

I yawned and rubbed my eyes lazily as I began to sit up in bed, looking down to see a bowl of fruit right next to my legs. I picked up the bowl and brang it into my lap, taking an orange slice and placing it into my mouth happily. It was nice to have something to eat as soon as I woke up. I looked up as I heard the doors to Master Sesshomaru's room sliding open to see Master Sesshomaru entering the room.

"You're finally awake." Master Sesshomaru stated simply, standing in the doorway.

I nodded lightly and picked up a piece of seedless watermelon and placed it into my mouth. Master Sesshomaru began to approach me, tossing a kimono next to me.

"After you are done with your breakfast, get dressed and come out to the gardens. I have somewhere I wish to take you." He said looking down at me.

I gave another small nod and looked down at the kimono he had chosen for me to wear. I thought it was really pretty, it was striped a light and dark pink with all kinds of colors of butterflies on it. Though, the kimonos this family gave me were beautiful compared to the ones my past owners would give me. They'd simply be old worn out rags with holes in them. Master Sesshomaru began to leave the room, giving me my privacy and time to finish my breakfast.

"I wonder where he is taking me." I asked myself as I crawled out of bed and picked up the pretty kimono my master had left for me to wear.

I held it up close to me and did a small turn, imagining myself wearing this gorgeous thing. I smiled softly to myself and began to strip away the old kimono I was wearing, ready to slip into the new one. I ran my hands over the new pretty kimono I was now wearing and couldn't help but giggle to myself... I felt so pretty and began to rush out of the room, wanting to show my master how pretty I looked in my new kimono.

"Rin..." I heard a soft whisper as I ran down the halls, causing me to stop in my tracks and turn back to see who was calling my name.

It was Inuyasha, he was peeking out of his room, looking around before he slipped out and ran over to me.

"Inuyasha." I said giving the boy a hug, "Come on, Master Sesshomaru was going to take me somewhere, I want you to come too."

Inuyasha pulled away from the hug sadly, looking down. "I... I can't... I'm on punishment; I'm not even supposed to be out of my room let alone talking to you..."

"Oh..." I said looking over at Inuyasha in disappointment; I really did want him to come along too... It just wasn't fair.

Inuyasha looked up quickly, "I-I'll talk to you later Rin!" The boy said in a whisper as he rushed back into his room, closing the door behind him.

I tilted my head in confusion, what made him run off like that?

"Rin."

I turned around quickly with a small gasp to see Master Sesshomaru standing right behind me. "Ma-Master Sesshomaru." I managed to stammer out.

"Are you ready to be leaving soon?" He asked, looking over at Inuyasha's door.

"Ye-yeah, let's go now Master Sesshomaru." I said taking his arm and leading him on down the hall away from Inuyasha's room... I didn't want the boy to get in any more trouble than he was already in.

"Ready?" Master Sesshomaru asked as we reached the outside of the gates of the castle, reaching out and taking hold of my hand.

I looked up at Master Sesshomaru curiously and gave a nod of my head. I let out a small gasp as our feet began to lift from the ground a bit and everything seemed to gain a bright lighted tint to it. I looked up at Master Sesshomaru and he simply looked as though he were an angel... Small sparks of light lifting up around us as he pulled me closer to him. I let out a scream as we started to move at the speed of light across the lands, watching every tree, every blade of grass and every bird zip past us. I thought for a moment that we just might run right into a tree. We stopped suddenly and I was still screaming absently as my mind tried to process what just had happened. Master Sesshomaru let go of my hand and I fell on my face into a field of flowers with a small grunt. I sat up a bit shakily and looked up at Master Sesshomaru, his head was tilted and he looked at me with his eyebrow arched. I blushed a dark shade of pink... I felt a bit embarrassed that I made such a fuss. Master Sesshomaru held out his hand towards me and I took it graciously, starting to look around at my surroundings.

"W-wow..." Was the only thing I was able to say as I took in the sight before me.

We stood in the center of a forest, the trees so high and shady that you couldn't really tell if it were day or night. Every inch of the ground was covered with flowers, even the vines that hugged the trees bloomed many different colored beautiful flowers.

_**-Sesshomaru's POV-**_

I gave a small smile and began to walk over to the nearest tree to sit as Rin ran off to gather many of the assorted flowers that grew around this enchanted field. I knew she would like this place, it seemed as though this place was taken right out of a book of children's fairy tales. I brung my left knee up and rested my left arm across it as I sat under one of the many giant trees that surrounded this place. Rin gathered many flowers and was now running towards the small stream that ran through the forest, looking down at her reflection as she placed a red lily into her hair. I began to close my eyes, the cool breeze and the serenity of this place lulling me into a sleep.

"Master Sesshomaru! Master Sesshomaru!" I heard Rin calling out to me after a moment and lazily began to open my eyes.

Rin was running towards me as fast as she could, holding something closely to her chest. "Can I keep her? Can I please keep her?" Rin started to beg as she stopped in front of me with a pleading look on her face.

I looked down into her arms, curious of what she wanted to keep so desperately, "What is it that you wish to keep, Rin?"

Rin opened up her arms to reveal a small black and white kitten, crying out in hunger as it clung to Rin's kimono. It must have strayed from it's mother and was on the verge of starvation until Rin found it. "Please can I keep her Master Sesshomaru?" Rin pleaded a final time.

I closed my eyes and let out a small sigh... Inuyasha always did this to me and I always refused... Though Inuyasha usually brang home varmints, never anything domestic like a small cat as Rin had. Plus this animal would be on the brink of death if I say no, it would surely die on its own. I opened my eyes and look into Rin's pleading eyes as she hopefully bit down on her lower lip... How could I possibly say no to that?

"Are you going to take care of her, feed her, and clean up after her?" I asked the girl, her face lighting up with happiness as she shook her head yes and gave her promises. "Very well, you can keep it, but if I feel you are neglecting your promises in anyway, the animal will have to go."

Rin gave a small shriek of happiness and ran up to hug me tightly, the kitten right between us. I closed my eyes and hesitantly patted the girls head... She wasn't easy to keep at arm's length. She was the type of person you always wanted to be around and enjoy the company of constantly... Something I have never felt about anyone else in my five hundred years of life in this world.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapt_er 12_**

_**-Rin's POV-**_

I giggled as I ran a small piece of string along Lord Sesshomaru's bed, watching with amusement and joy as the small kitten that I had brang home about a week ago chased and pawed at the string in curiosity. I loved her so much and was glad Master Sesshomaru decided the let me keep her, I feed her, washed her and always cleaned after her just as Master Sesshomaru said I should.

"Having fun?" Master Sesshomaru asked, sitting in the far corner of his room at a desk, continuing some sort of paperwork he was doing for about four days now.

"Yes, Kiki is very playful today Master Sesshomaru." I giggled as Kiki, my small adorable black and white kitten, jumped up and climbed up my back, perching herself onto my shoulder.

"Good," Master Sesshomaru said, not even looking up from his paperwork, "That means she is recovered and back to good health."

Kiki was very frail when I first had brung her home. She couldn't walk very far without falling over and always seemed to be sleeping or eating. But now she was finally acting like a normal kitten, playful and energetic.

Both me and Master Sesshomaru looked up as the doors to his room was slid open rather harshly. To my distaste it was Yumiko and she looked down at me with the fires of hell itself in her eyes. I looked down quickly and started to play with Kiki, trying to distract myself so I wouldn't have to look directly at Yumiko directly.

"Yumiko." Master esshomaru said as he pushed his chair back and stood up from the desk he seemed to be attached to for days, "I wasn't expecting you today."

Yumiko gave a small sarcastic smile and said just as sarcastically, "Yeah, I bet you weren't. Why haven't you come to see me? It's been a whole week Sesshomaru... I was starting to worry..."

"Worry about what?" Master Seshomaru said as he made his way over toward his mate, gently pushing strands of loose hair from her face as Yumiko wrapped her arms around his waist.

Yumiko buried her face into his chest and started to nuzzle against him, "That you found someone else to court of course..."

I rolled my eyes a bit as I continued to try to distract myself with Kiki. Of course what Yumiko really meant was, she was afraid that I might have already begun to replace her as a mate. But like always, my relationship with my master just wasn't like that. I wish demon women would stop always accusing me of trying to seduce their mates away from them...Besides, why would Master Seshomaru ever want me anyway? Miss Yumiko was 100x prettier than I will ever be and plus she was a power Inu demon princess... I am of no use like Miss Yumiko can be to Master Sesshomaru.

"Rin." Master Sesshomaru called my name, snapping me out of my thoughts and causing me to turn my gaze towards him.

"Y-yes Master Sesshomaru?" I asked as I stood up off his bed, Kiki climbing up my kimono and placing herself back onto my shoulder with a soft mew in my ear.

"You may go visit Inuyasha today, I wish to be alone for a while." Master Sesshomaru said, Miss Yumiko turning and giving me a grin.

I ignored her completely, "Really?" I asked excitedly, "Inuyasha is finally off punishment?"

Master Sesshomaru gave a small nod, "Yes, he has behaved very well lately, I suppose it is about time he had a reward for being a good boy."

I happily began to run out of the room, Kiki mewing even more as she tried to hang on to the fabric of my kimono, "Thank you Master Sesshomaru!" I called out, just as I exited his room.

"Inuyasha!" I shouted out as I pushed open the door to Inuyasha's room... But I found that he wasn't in there at all.

That was strange... Where could he be? I gasped a bit in realization when I figured out he could have gone to his grandmother's garden to play. Kiki jumped off my shoulder and onto the floor, chasing me down the walkway of the castle as I ran as fast as I could towards the garden. It was getting dark, I couldn't believe how late it had gotten while I was cooped up in Master Sesshomaru's room playing with Kiki.

"Inuyasha!" I called once I reached the garden, stepping don the steps and walking forward into the garden. "Inuyasha..." I called once again, beginning to feel sad that I wouldn't even be able to find him.

I let out a sharp gasp as I felt someone kick me hard in the back, causing me the fall forward onto my hands and knees.

"Careful Koji... What if she **_is_** a demon...?" I heard a small child say a bit nervously.

I cried out a bit when I felt someone step down hard on my back, forcing me down completely to the ground.

I heard a older boy scoff, "If she was a demon, she wouldn't have let me do all of this to her so far." He kicked me in my side, rolling me over onto my back, "She's a human, no better than any of us."

My eyes widen a bit as I looked up at the boys... They were the same boys that I saw picking on Inuyasha. I placed my hands flat against the ground, sitting up a bit as I began to back away from them, needing distance away from how close the older boy, Koji, was to me. Kiki was right beside me, all of her fur sticking straight up with her back arched, hissing and growling at the boys the best she could.

"Oh shut up." Koji said in pure irritation as he kicked Kiki as hard as he could, sending her flying into the giant sakura tree.

"Kiki!" I screamed out, about to get up and run to my kitten's unmoving body.

Koji grabbed my leg and pulled my back towards him, moving down and sitting on my torso. He smiled down in amusment at me as I tried my best to get him off me. "You're not a demon, but you are pretty cute."

"Get off you pervert!" I screamed at the boy as he leaned in closer towards my face, studying me.

Everytime I was close to hitting him, he would dodge all of my attacks very easily... I couldn't believe this, this human brat was worse than any of the demons I have come in contact with so far in my life. Eventually, Koji had gotten tired of me fighting him. He took my wrists and forced them above my head, his amused smile turning quickly into a devious grin.

"Umm... Koji..." The younger boy began to say nervously, sounding a bit shaken.

Koji's eyebrows forwarded in aggravation, "I'm busy Samaru, go play."

"But Koji the-!" Samaru was cut off by the sound of a cry of a wild animal... It sounded like a mountain lion and it was very close.

Both me and Koji turned toward the sound of the mountain lion cry and saw near the cherry blossom tree that a large black and white cat with razor-sharp teeth was growling and making it's way over towards us. Koji looked as though all the blood had drained from his face, he quickly rose up from me and both him and Samaru started to run away, screaming at the top of their lungs. I turned and watched as the wild cat began to make its way over towards me. I was a bit too frightened to move, shuddering as I watched the big cat continue its path towards me. The cat stopped right in front of me and sat down on all fours as it began to pur loudly.

"K...Kiki?" I asked the cat unsurely, reaching up to pet her.

With a poof of smoke it seemed like the cat had disappeared and in its place sat the kitten I had brang home and nourished back to health. Kiki let out a small pleased meow as she hopped forward into my lap, encouraging me to pet her, and tell her that she is a very good girl.


	13. Chapter 13

**_Chapter 13_**

_**-Inuyasha's POV-**_

I stared in awe as grandfather unsheathed his sword, growing twice the size as the sheath itself. Grandfather smiled down at me, swinging the blade down into the floor with his hand still on the hilt of the sword. This was the first time grandfather has brang me into his weapons room, and I felt honored that grandfather has shown me this amazing sword and how it works.

"You like this sword don't you, Inuyasha?" Grandfather asked with a small chuckle, leaning his weight against the sword a bit.

I looked up at grandfather, surprised he asked me such a silly question. "Only a whole lot!"

Grandfather laughed, obviously amused by my answer. I reached forward and ran my hand along the blade of the sword, it was so big... I could see my whole reflection on it. Grandfather took his hand off the hilt and I began to gasp in surprise as the blade started to smoke and shrink down. It seemed like time was flowing quickly around the sword it self, it began to look beat up and rusted with a few cuts on it here and there.

I removed my hand from the sword quickly, looking up worriedly at grandfather, "I-I'm sorry grandfather, I didn't mean to break it! I promise I can help you fix it, I promise!"

Grandfather placed his clawed hands on his hips and set his head back with a loud roar of laughter, I felt a bit confused. "It is fine Inuyasha, you did not break my sword. This is Tessaiga, and one day, it will belong to you little one."

My eyes widened as I looked back at the sword, "Really? How do I make it work like you made it work grandfather?"

Grandfather smiled down at me and placed his hand on my head, ruffling my hair playfully. I whined and tried to swat him away... I hated when he did that. "Well Inuyasha..." grandfather started, "All you will have to do is hold Tessaiga and it will transform just as it did for me... But first, you must have someone you want to protect."

I tilted my head off to the side in curiosity, "Protect?" I asked.

Grandfather smiled warmly down at me and picked up the old-looking rusted blade. "That's right, protect." He said as he grabbed the sheath to the sword and slid the blade back inside it.

"Who would I have to protect to make the sword work grandfather?" I asked, desperately wanting to know the secret to the sword.

Grandfather began to ruffle my hair again, causing it to wad up into a mess on top of my head. "Not sure little one, maybe within time you will have a little girlfriend you would like to protect."

My face scrunched up at that thought, "Ew, a girlfriend? That's gross, I'm not going to do that."

Grandfather let out another roar of laughter and began to lead me out of the weapons room, I seemed to be a good jester for him today.

"Inuyasha!~" I heard someone calling my name as we walked don the halls towards my room.

I looked forward and saw Rin looking off to the side, a kitten sitting on her shoulder. It looked as if she had just left from the garden.

"Rin!" I yelled out as I ran from grandfather's side and up to Rin.

**_-Inu Taisho's POV-_**

I watched as young Inuyasha ran from my side and up to the slave girl Sesshomaru had brung home. I had to admit when Sesshomaru first purchased the girl I thought it was a terrible idea and that it would doom our family... But nothing in particular has happened, there was nothing deadly about this girl at all. In fact, there was this life about her. She has single-handedly shown a light inside both my sons and brought some sort of light to both of their eyes. I had a strong filling that this girl, will be the one to unlock Inuyasha's power and help him master the Tessaiga.

**_-Sesshomaru's POV-_**

I laid on my side as I studied the naked, sleeping frame of my wife to be, Yumiko. Her soft pale milky skin, Her pouty rosy pink lips and her perfect figure all together would make the demon lords across these lands want to fight to the death over her... But why did I feel as if I didn't care if she left or stayed at all all of a sudden...? No... I don't believe it was suddenly... I think I have always felt this way, but never truly questioned it. But... Why was I questioning it now? I closed my eyes and began to try to think. Long midnight black hair, soft tanned skin... This maiden turned around with a cheerful warm smile... Rin... My eyes flashed opened quickly, my heart racing like it wanting to fly right out of my chest and hand itself over the Rin itself. I glanced back over at Yumiko... I have never felt this way for her, but why? I balled my hands into fists and closed my eyes a bit tightly. Was this what my father felt for Iziyoi? Did my father even love my mother at all? Or... was he blinded as I was and didn't see the light until he met Iziyoi...? The one difference with me and my father... It is not too late for me. I didn't know how I would do it at this moment, but I knew I had to let Yumiko go... I don't care for her, and I don't want to make the same mistakes my father did. I will have to tell her now, not further in the future and break her heart just as my father almost did to my mother.


	14. Chapter 14

**_Chapter 14_**

**_-Rin's POV-_**

I kneeled down in amazement in front of my old friend, the Pieris shrub... I play in this garden all the time with Inuyasha and didn't even notice there were a few shrubs even here.

"What are you doing Rin?" Inuyasha asked as he crouched down beside me, looking over at me curiously.

I smiled softly, my gaze staying on beautiful bush that has gotten me far into my life without being killed as I'm sure many have so far. "Nothing, just looking at the flowers."

Inuyasha nodded and began to gaze at the flowers as well, "Well, they are really pretty." Inuyasha began to reach out and pick a flower off the bush, I watched him curiously. "Just like you Rin-chan." Inuyasha said with a small laugh as he placed the flower into my hair.

I giggled a little and pinched his cheek. He was so adorable, I'm sure that when he is older he will be a real lady-killer.

"Oh Rin, Inuyasha, there you two are." Master Sesshomaru's mother said as she pushed aside flower bushes to walk up towards us.

"Grandma!" Inuyasha yelled out in excitement as he flung himself into his grandmother's arms.

"Oh Inuyasha..." Mrs. Taisho giggled with a sigh as she pet her grandson's head fondly, "You act as though you haven't seen me in ages.

I placed my hand to my mouth to hide a small giggle. Inuyasha tried to act grown up sometimes, but it was painfully obvious that he was indeed a kid.

"Rin." Mrs. Taisho said as she looked over towards me, calling me to her attention as she continued to hold onto Inuyasha. "Sesshomaru has requested that we all have a small gathering. He has something important he wants to announce to us all."

"Something important?" I repeated curiously as I tilted my head to the side a bit.

Mrs. Tashio began to look a bit excited, "Oh yes, and I think I know what it might be. I think Sesshomaru is finally going to ask Yumiko's hand in marriage. Isn't that wonderful?!"

I know I should have been happy, glad that my Master was going to get married to the girl of his dreams...but, for some reason I felt extremely upset. Yumiko was an awful person, and Master Sesshomaru was the kindest man I have ever met... They didn't belong together at all, I knew that he would, in the end, be unhappy with her.

"I was wondering Rin," Mrs. Taisho continued, drawing my attention back to her, "If you would make the tea for the occasion." She smiled softly down at me, "Sesshomaru told me that you make the best tea he has ever tasted."

Tea... I began to smile a little, mostly to myself but up at Mrs. Taisho. I couldn't let Master Sesshomaru marry such an awful woman. What kind of slave would I be if I willingly let my Master walk right into an unhappy marriage? I will make tea, but I will also make one cup of my special tea for Yumiko.

"Yes Mrs. Taisho, I'm sure Miss Yumiko will just love my tea." I said with a joyful smile as I reached up into my hair and took the flower Inuyasha had placed there out.

**XXX**

As I made everyone's tea, I was sure to make Yumiko's in an entirely different pot all together. I didn't want to harm my Master's family in the process of getting rid of a possible pest to my Master. I used the flower Inuyasha had placed in my hair and ground up the leaves, making a small amount of honey from the flower itself. From my experience, adding honey to the mix killed them a lot faster and I didn't have to repeatedly dose a demon with the tea to make and keep them sick. This would kill Yumiko within a few days... So soon that Master Sesshomaru won't even have to marry her. I smiled softly to myself and began to gather all the tea-cup onto a tray, walking out of the kitchen and into the dinning room where Inuyasha, Mr. and Mrs. Taisho, Master Sesshomaru and Yumiko were sitting at the dinning room table, chatting and eating a sort of special kind of raw fish the demons seem to enjoy to eat.

"Oh, here's little Rin with the tea." Mrs. Taisho said happily as I placed her cup in front of her, paying careful attention to Yumiko's cup so that I don't get it mixed up with the normal tea.

After handing out the tea, I held the tray in front of me and stood beside Master Sesshomaru, staring over at Yumiko, waiting for her to drink her tea.

"My... This tea smells so sweet." Yumiko said as she lifted her cup, taking in the aroma of the special tea I had made for her... This made me smile a bit to myself.

Master Sesshomaru cleared his throat a bit, bringing everyone to his attention, "Well, I have brought everyone here for a reason. I have an announcement to make." Master Sesshomaru placed his hands against the table and began to stand up, looking over at Ms. Yumiko.

I bit my lower lip and looked away... So it was true... Master Sesshomaru was about to propose to this terrible awful thing that called herself a woman... But that was fine... I will be fixing that mistake for him anyway.

"Yumiko..." Master Sesshomaru began, his gaze casted down at the joyfully smiling woman.

"Yes my love?" Yumiko said happily, standing up as well, looking up into Master Sesshomaru's golden orbs.

Master Sesshomaru looked at Yumiko a bit longer then turned his gaze off to the side as he began to talk again. "I think it's best we not see each other anymore. I don't feel like I really love you, my heart is simply not in it. I've given this much thought, and I think it would be selfish of me to waste your time like that."

Mrs. Taisho gasped and covered her mouth while Yumiko's smile slowly started to fade away from her face. "Wha-What?" Yumiko asked in confusion, wanting to make sure she was hearing correctly, maybe hoping she had just heard wrong. "Are you breaking up with me?"

Master Sesshomaru's mother began to stand up quickly, looking just as upset as Yumiko was. "Sesshomaru, are you sick? You're obviously not feeling well. Go to bed, don't worry I will apologize to Yumiko-chan for you."

Master Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at his mother, "Mother, stop. I am not ill, there is nothing at all wrong with me and don't you dare apologize. I meant what I just said and Yumiko needs to return to her lands now. It is over, that is final."

I was speechless and just stared up at Master Sesshomaru as Yumiko began to yell at and argue with the silent Master Sesshomaru. I couldn't believe it... Master Sesshomaru wasn't going to marry Yumiko, in fact he had broken it off with her. I was glad, more than glad, I was happy beyond anything I had ever felt. I was snapped back to reality when I heard a loud smack. I looked up to see Master Sesshomaru with his head tilted to the side, Yumiko's hand going back to her side and making fists.

"Master..." I said as I moved closer to him, reaching up and placing my hand on the red spot on his cheek. To my surprise he placed his hand on mine.

"...So... You broke up with me to be with a filthy human slave?!" Yumiko shouted out, clearly insulted and her hair seeming to rise up in anger like a frustrated cat.

Master Sesshomaru refused to look at her, but instead looked down at me as his grip tightened on my hand. "I don't have to explain anything to you. I told you to leave. It's over."

Master Sesshomaru took my hand and began to lead me out of the dinning room, leaving Yumiko and the rest behind in the dinning room.

"You'll regret this Sesshomaru! No one uses me and gets away with it! You're dead!" Yumiko shouted after us, but it didn't faze my Master in the least.

I held onto Master Sesshomaru's arm with a small smile and nuzzled into his side cozily... I was glad Inuyasha didn't have to deal with this woman ever again.

-Inu Taisho's POV-

I stood up from my seat and made my way over to the other side of the table, watching as my mate tried to settle Yumiko's nerves, telling her that our son wasn't thinking straight at this moment in time. I rolled my eyes and picked up a tea-cup off the table. Sesshomaru means every word he says, my love should know this by now that our son is not a rash thinker or actor. Sesshomaru has thought long and hard about this and has made up his mind, and his word was final. But... I closed my eyes inhaled the scent of the tea in my hand... It smelled sweeter than mine did. I took a sip as I continued to watch my mate make a fool of herself for Yumiko's sake.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Chapter 15**_

_**-Rin's POV-**_

The whole castle seemed to be in complete and utter chaos… Demon servants and human slaves hurried and rushed past Inuyasha and I as we made our way towards Mrs. Taisho's garden.

"Hey Inuyasha…" I asked after a moment, watching the worried and concerned looks on everyone's face as they rushed by. "What's going on? Why is everyone in such a big hurry today?"

Inuyasha looked down and stopped for a moment right before we entered the garden. He had been acting strange all day… He would never look me in the eye and seemed to be trying to force himself to be happy the entire time he was with me.

"Inuyasha?" I asked as I took the boy's small hand, making him look up at me, tears building up in his eyes as he bit down hard on his lower lip. "Inuyasha… What's wrong?"

Inuyasha let out a small sob and began to wipe his eyes with the sleeve of his red kimono. "I-it's grandpa… Grandma said he got really sick last night…"

"Sick?" I asked, worry in my tone, starting to squeeze tight onto Inuyasha's hand to comfort him as much as I was able. "Well… Since you're so worried about him, how about we go check on him okay?"

Inuyasha continued to try and wipe his tears away with the sleeve of his kimono as he gave a small nod. I smiled softly down at him and began to walk him to his grandparent's chambers. Maybe it was just a cold, nothing really to worry about. Inuyasha is a kind warm hearted boy, the simplest things wrong with his loved ones would make him act this way.

_**-Mrs. Taisho's POV-**_

I took the now warm rag off my mate's head and dipped it in the bucket of cool water beside me. I focused on ringing as much water out of the rag as I could before placing it back onto my mate's burning hot forehead. I gazed down at my mate sadly… I have never seen him in such a condition before… His eyes were shut tightly and his breathing was labored… like it was a difficult task for him to breath at this moment in time. His whole body was burning up and his face was red, I had to strip him down and place him under cool blankets in fear that he might burn up from such a high body temperature.

"Why is this happening…" I found myself saying out in a soft voice, loud enough for only me and my ill mate to hear.

"Grandma…" I hurt my grandson's soft worried voice say from the entrance of the room.

I turned, still on my knees to see Inuyasha, escorted by Rin, entering the room hesitantly.

"Grandma… We came to check up on grandpa… Is he feeling any better?" Inuyasha asked as they made their way over towards me and my mate.

I smiled softly at Inuyasha and held my arms out for him. Inuyasha instantly buried himself into my bosom, hiding his tear and trying to hide his weakness from both me and Rin no doubt.

I began to pet the back of the boy's head affectionately, shushing his soft sobs into my chest. "Inuyasha, no need to cry, I'm sure your grandfather will be fine… He just needs rest is all." I tried to comfort Inuyasha the best I could, even though at this point… I wasn't even sure if my beloved mate will make it through the night.

I laid my chin on top of Inuyasha's head and looked up at Rin. She held a grave look on her face as she looked down at my ill mate on what might be his death bed.

"Rin, dear? Is there something wrong?" I asked the girl, her gaze never leaving my mate's.

Rin began to back away a bit hesitantly, "I… I'm fine… I need to find Master Sesshomaru, excuse me." Rin stormed out of the room, slamming the doubled doors behind her.

_**-Rin's POV-**_

'Oh no… oh no, oh no… This was bad, way bad!' I thought to myself as I ran down the hallways in search for my master. Inu Taisho drank the tea I had made especially for Yumiko! That was the only explanation for the symptoms he was having. Inu Taisho's throat was closing up, he was going to die very… very soon.

"Master Sesshomaru!" I called out as I stormed into his chambers, my breathing heavy and my heart racing with guilt. I had to tell him… I had to tell Master Sesshomaru what I have done…

Master Sesshomaru sat up from his desk and turned to face me, worry lacing his perfect features. "Rin, what is wrong?"

My heart began to race even faster… I bit down on my lower lip thinking on how I should tell him that I have put his father on his death bed… What would he do to me… I wouldn't really blame him if he killed me right here and now. "Master Sesshomaru… Your Father, he's dying."

Master Sesshomaru's apathetic features didn't change one bit, "I know this Rin. There is nothing I can do."

I casted my gaze to the ground and closed my eyes tight, my hands balled tightly into fists as I tried to force the rest out. "He is dying and it's all my fault Master Sesshomaru…"

There was a short pause… I gasped and looked up as I felt Master Sesshomaru's warm clawed hand placed against my cheek.

"Rin…" He said calmly, his gaze softening as he looked down at me, "This isn't and never will be your fault. It is mine, I should have known Yumiko would play such a dirty trick and poisoning my father."

I gave him a shocked look, "Y-you know he is poisoned?" I asked quietly, almost speechless.

Master Sesshomaru nodded and moved his hand away from my face. "I had the same reaction Father is having when I was a pup and I nibbled on that Pieris bush mother keeps in the garden." Master Sesshomaru began to explain, "But the thing about me and my mother is, we are poisonous demons, it runs through our veins and weaker poisons don't really affect us as much. But my Father on the other hand does not carry that trait, and Yumiko knew this. I'm sure this is all her doing."

I wasn't sure what to say… Should I sit back and let Yumiko take the blame?... It would be fair since she made Inuyasha take the blame for most the awful things she did all the time, it would be a great pay back and a bonus, Master Sesshomaru will surely kill her.


	16. Chapter 16

_**Chapter 16**_

_**-Sesshomaru's POV-**_

"Hmm…" I hummed to myself as I grabbed the trespasser by the face, listening to him growl at me. "Tell me… Who has sent you?"

The fox demon that I held let out another growl of frustration before responding to my question. "No one has sent me! I came of my own free will for you have dishonored our fair lady of the East!"

I scoffed and gave a roll of my eyes as I began to dig my talons into the demon's flesh. My claws began to glow a light shade of green as I started to inject him with my poison. "How dare you come into my domain and try to assassinate me over such a trivial matter." I murmured as the fox demon wailed out in agony, the flesh of his face melting right of his skull.

I dropped the demon after every last bit of his flesh dripped off his skull and at my feet. I rose my foot and with a small grunt, I brang it down as hard as I could on the fox demon's skull. Shattering it and splashing brain matter everywhere.

"Such a mess…" I said softly with a sigh as I waved my hand a bit, shaking the bits of melted fox face out from underneath my talons.

I turned and began to head back towards the castle. Not a day has fully passed and the vermin from the East are already trying to place my head on a stake for 'disgracing' their fair flower of the East. I could already see… This was going to lead to a bloody war.

_**-Rin's POV-**_

Guilt racked my entire being as I tucked poor little Inuyasha into his bed for the night. The boy had cried himself to sleep after a long day of tending to his ill stricken grandfather… And it was all my fault. What Inuyasha and the rest didn't know was… their efforts were fruitless; even I wasn't sure what the antidote was to this poison… Hell I never even needed one up until now… With a sigh, I stood up and began to quietly leave Inuyasha's room, closing the door carefully behind me.

"Rin."

I gasped and jumped a bit, not expecting any one to call out my name. I turned to see my Master Sesshomaru staring down at me with that emotionless gaze of his.

"Ma-Master Sesshomaru…" I stammered, trying to regain my composer, and make my heart stop doing cartwheels. My gaze fell down, in efforts to calm myself, when I noticed my Master's blood stained hand. My eyes widened and without a second thought I took his large hand into my smaller ones. "Master Sesshomaru, there is blood. Are you hurt?" I asked, concern clearly in my voice as I looked up worriedly at him.

"I'm fine." Master Sesshomaru simply said as he slid his hand away from my grasp.

I gave a small nod and absently began to follow behind him as he started his path back down the hallway. I looked up at my Master during the silence of our walk… Was it just me? Or did Master Sesshomaru seem… Colder than usual? What did I expect though… His father is on the brink of death… And he didn't know, but I was the blame.

"Master Sesshomaru…" I said after a moment, breaking the silence.

"What is it Rin?" Master Sesshomaru responded as he continued down the hall way towards his chambers.

"Shouldn't you… Don't you wish to visit your father? Don't you want to see if he is doing well?" I asked, clear concern lacing my voice.

"…There is nothing I am able to do to help my father. It is entirely in his hands if he survives or not." Master Sesshomaru said simply, stopping in front of his doubled doors and beginning to slide them open.

With a loud mew, Kiki burst out of the room as soon as the door opened and leaped on top of Master Sesshomaru's head before leaping once again to end up on my shoulder.

"Kiki…" I giggled, starting to pet the purring cat as I followed Master Sesshomaru into his room, forgetting the upsetting topic for the moment. "You silly cat, have you been waiting for me here this whole time?"

Kiki mewed in response as I picked the cat up from my shoulder and held her against my chest. I looked up to see Master Sesshomaru, lying on his back in his bed and his left arm draped across his eyes. He seemed sad… Did he not want me to see him upset? I placed Kiki onto the floor and began to make my way towards my Master's bed. I crawl in with him and curled up into his side. I knew all too well what pain my Master was in… I myself watched wolf demon's slaughter both my parents and close friends. I was sure he was feeling something similar to that.

After a moment I began to feel Master Sesshomaru shift a bit, then let out a soft gasp as he turned me over onto my back and crawled on top of me. I could feel my face burning; I could tell my face had to be as red as the roses in Mrs. Taisho's garden. I looked up to see my Master staring down at me with those golden orbs… His face didn't display it, but his eyes told me he was in so much pain…

"Master…" I said softly, hating to see that pain placed his eyes… I wanted to take that all away…

I reached up towards him, causing him to lean towards me more. I wrapped my arms around his neck while he buried his face into mine.

_**-Sesshomaru's POV-**_

I took in the scent of the young human girl that now lay beneath me. She smelled… So very sweet, like a delectable strawberry ready and begging to be picked. My hands clenched and I started to grip onto the sheets as I felt and listened to her heart beat from the warmth of her neck… How could such simple things as a heart beat make me want to leave my worries behind and partake in a moment of mind numbing bliss?

Her arms tightened around me as I ran my tongue curiously along her neck, my eyes closed trying to indulge myself in this moment.

"Master Sesshomaru…" I could hear her saying softly, as if begging me to do what was coming natural in my mind.

I didn't need to think about it, I didn't want to think about it. This girl was mine… I knew this the first day I saw her standing in front of all, her naked body exposed. I listened to her let out yet another gasp as my fang dug down into her tender neck. I was no better than my father… To take a human as my mate…

_**-Mrs. Taisho's POV-**_

I closed my eyes… holding back tears as I brang the covers up to cover my mate's face. He was gone… He has been gone for a while now. Though it seems, I have just now decided to come to terms with it. I placed my hands over my eyes and softly began to sob over my mate's dead body.

"How could this have happened…" I sobbed quietly to myself, memories and voices flooding through my head as I tried to rack my brain into figuring out how this could have even happened.

'The Bad Omen of the West.'

I gasped and my eyes widened as that phrase popped into my head. I stood up quickly off the floor, my hair rising in pure anger and despair.

"It was her. She was the cause of my love's illness." I hissed to myself, thinking out loud. "She has to go; she has to leave tonight before anyone else can fall ill!"


	17. Chapter 17

_**Chapter 17**_

_** Mrs. Taisho's POV-**_

I rushed out of the chambers I once shared with my mate while the servants gathered my mate's dead body to prepare him for a proper burial. I had to find my son and tell him to get rid of that girl before anyone else could die. I don't know if I could handle anyone else dying… I am already on the brink of insanity as it is…

I stormed right up to my son's doors and slid both of them open quickly, almost ripping them off the hinges. My eyes widened at the sight that lay before me… My son and his human slave rose up from the bed. Just as naked and bare as they were when they first entered this world. Rin covered herself with furred blankets of the bed while Sesshomaru gave me an agitated look.

"Mother, why have you entered my room like that? Without so much as a knock?" Sesshomaru questioned me as he rose up off his bed, grabbing his garments and pulling them on.

Rage began to fuel my very being. "Your father has just passed away, I know you felt it, I know you know he is no longer in this world… And you lay here and bring even more shame than you have already brought onto our family name!" I shouted at my son with all the passion in my heart as he made his way over towards me.

Sesshomaru merely looked down at me before responding. "Of course I know father has passed. There is nothing I could have done to help. He is dead, he is gone. What is it that you want me to do mother?"

I began to feel tears stinging the corners of my eyes as my emotions over took me, "But there is something you can do Sesshomaru! You can use your father's sword! You can use the Tenseiga to bring him back to life!"

_**-Sesshomaru's POV-**_

I looked off to the side, not wanting to meet my mother's gaze. To avoid her seeing the pain and clear shame that laced my eyes. Truth is, I've never learned or even bothered to even try to learn how to master the Tenseiga… I was a bit angry that my father would even think of giving me such a useless weapon, if it could even be called that, I refused to look at it much less lay a hand on it. Now that I look back on it… It was childish of me, and I should have accepted the gift from my father now that I see it could in fact be of some sort of use.

"I can not…" I simply said, balling my hands into fists at my sides.

"You mean you won't!" Mother shouted at me, her emotions clearly getting the better of her. "Why can't you be more like your father! He was a great and honorable man! Instead you continue to shame our family name by rutting and continuing your obsession with these human girls!"

"If I have shamed our family, then so has father." I said softly, calmly as I kept my gaze off to the side.

_**-Rin's POV-**_

I cringed and brang the soft blankets up to my face as the force of the impact of Mrs. Taisho's hand collided with Master Sesshomaru's face rang out through the room.

"Watch your tongue…" Mrs. Taisho snarled at Master Sesshomaru, "Your father has never disgraced this family in any way."

Master Sesshomaru turned his gaze towards his mother, "Inuyasha is enough proof of father's shame upon this family."

Mrs. Taisho face slowly began to show confusion as she gave her son a questioning look, "What are you talking about?"

Master Sesshomaru closed his eyes for a moment then opened them before he started to speak. "I never mated with Inuyasha's mother. Father was the one to lay with and pup that human servant girl, not I. I am sick of having to carry this weight and always see that look of disappointment in your eyes over something I did not do."

I placed my hands over my mouth as well as Mrs. Taisho. She wore a look of horror on her face while sadness was worn on mine. Master Sesshomaru wasn't Inuyasha's true father, instead he was a burden his own father casted off onto him.

"I-I don't believe you…" Mrs. Taisho was almost sobbing.

"What I can't believe is that you were actually deluding yourself mother. My scent was never on that human. She always carried father's scent." Master Sesshomaru said coldly as he looked down at his mother.

That look of horror remained on Mrs. Taisho's face as she seemed to be racking her brain of every moment he slipped away from her, every night he didn't not come to bed with her and every lie he made to conceal Inuyasha's conception.

After a moment for all those thoughts to sink into 's head, she stormed out of Master Sesshomaru's room, her tears trailing right behind her.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Chapter 18**_

_** -Mrs. Taisho's POV-**_

My mate is gone… I feel as though I don't have any reason to live any more. I'm sure that girl did this to me. And I'm almost positive Sesshomaru is somehow involved in my mate's death as well. His own father… His own mother… How could he betray us like this? I stopped walking in the middle of a field, at least thirty miles away from the castle, and looked up at the night sky. Little droplets of rain began to sprinkle onto my face. I smiled softly to myself and kept my head tilting up towards the night's sky as it began to rain harder and harder… Even the heavens felt my pain and were weeping for me this cold lonely night.

"I'm not going back…" I whispered silently to myself, opening my eyes.

I just couldn't go back to what I use to proudly call my home… Now that my mate was dead, it was now Sesshomaru's time to rule over the lands of the West… Then where would that leave me? A widow, in the shadow of his mate that killed my mate in cold blood. I refuse to even try and go through that, I just won't…

_**-Rin's POV-**_

"Where is everyone?" Inuyasha asked as we sat under the sakura tree and gathered the petals into small piles in front of us.

I continued to gather the beautiful pink petals as I began to think to myself. Mr. Taisho was now dead, Mrs. Taisho has run away and Master Sesshomaru is out trying to defend the castle the best he could on his own. Who would have ever thought that this once peaceful palace would go right to hell after Inu no Taisho was no longer around the defend it.

"I'm not sure Inuyasha." I lied with a small smile on my face, trying to put the appearance of being happy. "Maybe they'll be back soon."

Just as I said that, Kiki let out a loud meow and leaped into the largest pile of sakura petals we had gathered so far. She turned in circles a few times, purring as loud as I had ever heard her pur before, and laid down cozily right in the middle of the stack of now scattered sakura blossoms around her.

"Hey, Rin." Inuyasha said as he began to stand up, brushing the dust and dirt off of his red kimono. "Grandfather showed me his weapon's room before he… Went away. Wanna go see it?"

I tilted my head curiously and picked up Kiki as I began to stand up as well, holding her gently against my chest as she continued to pur happily in my arms. I was glad to see that Inuyasha was handling all of this as well as he was, his world had to be turned completely upside down. "Sure, that actually sounds like it could be fun." I said as I smiled at him.

Inuyasha smiled back just as happily and took my hand, starting to run at top speed out of the garden and up the staircase that lead up towards the castle. I giggled as it took a lot of effort to keep up with him.

_**-Sesshomaru's POV-**_

This was simply embarrassing by all means of the word… Having to go to the Northern Lands, lands my father had wanted, and almost succeeded in taking over by means of war, and ask for a bit of help to handle the fair lady of the East's followers. They were happy to help me of course, but in return they wanted me to take my sights off the Northern Lands, call off the war and even become allies. I'm sure father has turn over a dozen times in his grave by now, for I have no other choice than to comply with the agreement. How much more humiliation must I go through until everything in the West is peaceful and back to normal again?

_**-Yumiko's POV-**_

"It is truly an honor that you have decided to take me in Lady Yumiko." … Once the great and powerful queen of the West said as she kneeled on one knee before me and my father, showing me her utmost respect.

I smiled softly down at her and crossed my left leg over my right as I looked over at my father. He gave a simple nod.

"You don't have to bow to me Lady Taisho. You have always been so kind towards me, even when your son has lost his senses and gone mad. Stand up, you are and always will be welcomed in the Lands of the East." I said kindly to this out casted queen.

This was way too easy. I didn't even have to lift a finger and Sesshomaru's world is already crumbling beneath him. His father has pasted away from a mysterious illness and Lady Taisho seems to have it implanted in her head that both the human whore and Sesshomaru had something to do with it. Talk about killing two birds with one stone. Lady Taisho has even fled here to me in my lands in search of protection from her maddened son. The word has already spread quickly across my lands that the prince of the West has disgraced me by mating with a human and discarding me as though my life is lower than that of a human slave and are now rising up on their own to kill Sesshomaru and bring his head to me. I know of course that they could never even dream of doing such a thing, but I also know they will be enough of a distraction to slow the great Sesshomaru down enough for at least me to kill him myself. Who knows, if Lady Taisho's fear and hatred is channeled and molded the right way, maybe I could get her to do my dirty work for me.

_**-Rin's POV-**_

I walked inside the room and stared around in awe after Inuyasha had pushed open the heavy doubled doors to the late Inu no Taisho's weapon's room.

"Wow…" I seemed to murmur to myself as I went to the first shiny sword I could put my hands on.

Inuyasha rushed inside, already seeming to know what he came in here to see. I picked up the shiny sword with soft red fabric lacing the hilt, turning to see what had caught Inuyasha's fancy. To my surprise, he picked up a sword that looked as if it should have been thrown in the scrap heap years ago. The blade looked rusted over a bit in places and had so many scratches and cuts on it, it looked as if it would snap into a thousand mini pieces at any moment.

"Grandfather said this sword would be mine to have." Inuyasha said proudly as he gazed at the sword as if it were gold itself.

"I don't know Inuyasha." I giggled as I watched him start to swing the rusted blade around, "It doesn't look like it can do all that much damage anymore."

"Yuh huh!" Inuyasha shouted out in defense over his now most prized possession, swinging it around even more as he murmured a little, "I just don't know how to works it yet…"

I smiled softly at him. Inuyasha clearly saw something in that blade that I didn't… It was maybe the fact his grandfather himself said it was his and gave it to him after he passed… In any case, it was not my place to say what was useless and what wasn't. It was clearly worth the world to Inuyasha.

Suddenly, Kiki turned towards the closed doubled doors. She started to let out warning growls as her back arched up and every last strand of her fur was standing up on end. I crouched down curiously, a look of concern in my eyes as I looked at my little kitten stand in defense mode.

"What's the matter Kiki?" I asked my kitten curiously as I crouched down and began to reach out to pick her up when the doubled doors seemed to explode.

I gasped and cringed with a grunt as I shielded my face from the splintered wood that now showered me and Kiki.

"Rin!" Inuyasha shouted out from behind me, causing me to look back at him. "Look out Rin! Run!" He shouted out at me even louder, pointing ahead of me.

I was almost too frightened to turn to see what I was supposed to be running from. Shakily, I began to turn my head, staring down at me and Kiki was a giant bull demon with a golden ring between his nostrils. Kiki hissed and began to transform into her mountain lion form. The bull demon snorted and a puff of smoke exited his nose as a small grin formed across his face. Kiki let out the cry of an attacking lion as she pounced forward to try and protect me from the menacing demon.

"Don't make me laugh." The bull demon growled as he back handed my Kiki, sending her flying across the room and into the back wall.

"Kiki!" I screamed out as Kiki shrunk to her smaller size and fell unconscious. I was about to run to her aide, my poor kitten, I wanted her to be okay.

I let out a gasp as my hair was grabbed and the demon began to pull me back towards him.

"Rin!" Inuyasha shouted out, beginning to rush to my aide, clinging tightly onto that rusted beat up sword, beginning to lift it up into the air above his head.

Tears began to stream down my cheeks. Inuyasha had no hope of defeating this demon with that useless sword. His best hope right now was to forget about me and just… "Inuyasha! Run!"

My plea turned to deaf ears, Inuyasha continued to charge forward towards the demon as he let out a battle cry, prepared to strike. The bull demon merely laughed in amusement and punched Inuyasha as hard as he could in the head with his free hand, sending Inuyasha face down onto the hard wooden floor.

"Inuyasha!" I cried out, trying to break free from the bull demon's grasp.

"Damn kid." The bull demon scoffed as he kicked Inuyasha hard enough in his side to send him flying to the middle of the room. His prized sword that he had received from his grandfather falling to his side as he lay unconscious.

The demon began to bring me closer to him, causing me to start to struggle against him. He chuckled at my vain attempts of trying to free myself and leaned forward to deeply inhale my scent.

"You are the one that shared in the disgrace of Lady Yumiko. Lady Yumiko's betrayer's scent is all over you." The demon said as his hands started to absently wander my body. "I'll bring you to Lady Yumiko herself and let her decide what shall be done with you."

His giant fleshy hand began to slip in between my kimono and my eyes began to widen… Bringing me back years ago when all this hell first started and I was captured by the wolf demon tribe. I let out a scream and began to violently thrash around against the bull demon. He merely laughed and grabbed one of my now exposed breasts. I let out a loud gasp and quickly let instinct take over me. Like a trapped animal with no other option left, I brang my head down and bit down as hard as I was able on the demon's arm. I wanted him to let go… to just stop touching me.

"Little brat!" The bull demon snarled as he threw me across the room in frustration.

I let out a choking gasp as my back collided with the wall in the back of the room. I smiled and my gaze fell into my lap, his blood spilling from my mouth. I lazily spit out the bits of demon flesh that remained in my mouth… It seemed as though this was the end for me… but at least I could say proudly that I went down with a fight.

_**-Inuyasha's POV-**_

My eyes began to flicker open lazily, my grandfather's sword the first thing coming into view. Why… Why didn't the sword work like grandfather had once made it work? Flashbacks of when grandfather had first shown me the power of the sword flashed through my head.

"…Someone to protect…" I murmured absently to myself as I continued to look at grandfather's sword… the Tessaiga. So loud…Someone is screaming…Rin… Rin is screaming. That demon is hurting her…

"You must have someone you want to protect." Grandfather's voice rang out in my head.

The demon was now shouting curses and death threats at Rin, as she lay barely conscious in the back of the room. I began to reach out towards the Tessaiga. Grandfather wasn't here to protect me anymore; father wasn't even here to protect us. But I was here and I had someone I had to protect… with my life. I grabbed the Tessaiga with both hands and began to stand, glaring at the demon as his attention was now turned towards me. The demon took one look at me and threw his head back to let out a roar of amused laughter. My grip on the Tessaiga's worn fabric tightened even more.

"Looks as though you are still in need of a lesson, boy." The demon chuckled as he made his way over towards me.

I bared my fangs at him, my vision hazing over red out of pure rage. He hurt my Rin so badly… He made her scream. She is my…

"Someone to protect!" I screamed out at the top of my lungs as I rose Tessaiga over my head.

A heat ran from the sword and inside my very being. I felt… Powerful… Strong enough to keep this demon from ever hurting Rin again. I watched as the demon stopped in his tracks, his eyes glossing over in fear and confusion. I brang the sword down with an even louder cry of fury and the entire room was flooded with a golden light. I couldn't see a thing, but I could hear the screams of agony that came from the bull demon as the light from the Tessaiga seemed to be disintegrating his very being. The light from Tessaiga began to die and there was no sight of the bull demon any longer. The floor and walls before me were burned really badly and the walls in front of me no longer existed. My grip tightened once again around the hilt of Tessaiga when I heard footsteps coming down the hallway and towards the room. My grip loosened when I caught a glimpse of flowing silver hair… It had to be…

"Father…" I sighed with happiness and relief as father rounded the corner and stepped inside the demolished room.

"Inuyasha…" Father said as he glanced around the room, surveying the damage done. "What have you done?"

I smiled happily and proudly at father as I began to finally drop to my knees weakly, with the Tessaiga beside me. "I protected Rin Father…" I managed to say before my vision cut to black.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Chapter 19**_

_**-Sesshomaru's POV-**_

My eyes widened as that familiar blast of energy erupted out of the room just ahead of me. The Wind Scar… But how could it be? Father was dead and I was unable to even pick up the Tessaiga. The unknown demon presence that I came back to get rid of was suddenly gone, along with a portion of my castle… Who could be responsible for such destruction? I walked over towards the now gaping hole in the room that use to be my father's weapon's room and stepped inside. To my utter surprise, standing before me with the transformed Tessaiga tightly grasped in his small hands was Inuyasha.

"Father…" He spoke in happiness and relief as his grip loosened on Tessaiga and it reverted back to its seemingly worn and rusted state.

"Inuyasha…" I said in concern, seeing how exhausted the child was and gazed around the room to survey the extent of the damage that was done. "What have you done?"

Inuyasha smiled proudly and dropped to his knees, the Tessaiga dropping out of his hands and on the floor beside him as he spoke, "I protected Rin Father…"

Just as Inuyasha said this, he closed his eyes and fell face first on the burned wooden floor… In the face of danger, Inuyasha forced the power of Tessaiga to awaken and unleashed the Wind Scar to protect young Rin from danger… No wonder the boy had passed out. He is still a pup, a half-demon at that, he unleashed more power than his body was able to handle at this point in time… Maybe… It was about time that I started to train the boy with his power. By the looks of it, he had a lot of it stored within his small half-demon body. But that was no surprise. Half-demon or no, he was still son of the late Great Dog Demon of the West.

I began to walk over and picked the boy up, tossing him over my shoulder. I turned my gaze over and a pang of sadness began to fill my being to see the unconscious Rin in the very back of the room. The kitten she had saved, Kiki began to regain consciousness and force herself to her four paws, shaking off dizziness and pain she had felt from being knocked out. I made my way over towards Rin and lifted her into my arms bridal style. I let out a small sigh and fixed up her kimono the best I was able to cover her exposed chest… How could I have let this happen…?

_**-Rin's POV-**_

Slowly… My eyes began to flutter open and I waited a moment for my vision to stop being so fuzzy and clear up a bit before sitting up with a small groan and rubbed the soreness of my head. The soft furred blankets of my Master's bed fell into my lap and I felt a cool breeze rush across the upper half of my body. At this I noticed I was exposed… my clothing was gone and I lay her naked under my Master's blankets.

"H-how did I get here?" I asked myself as I wrapped my arms around myself and absently caressed my smooth skin to comfort myself.

My eyes widened and I tightened my hold on myself as I remembered the bull demon and what he was going to do to me… I felt as though I was going to be sick…I looked up hearing the doubled doors of my Master's room being slid open. My heart stopped and began to soar as I took a wild guess at who it might be.

"Master Sesshomaru!" I exclaimed happily, wanting nothing more than to leap out of my Master's bed and run into his warm welcoming embrace. Though, my sore muscles had it in mind for me to stay put in bed.

Master Sesshomaru didn't look at me, though he made his way over towards me. I looked up into his golden amber eyes and his gaze never left mine, what could he be thinking?

_**-Sesshomaru's POV-**_

The scent of that demon that had infiltrated my castle was heavy on Rin… And his intent to do with her was clear. It sickened me to the core to think that such a lesser demon thought he could dirty something that so obviously belonged to me… But that was fine… I will fix that mistake right now.

"Ma-Master Sesshomaru." I heard the small girl gasp as I pulled the covers away from her battered body, the sound of her calling my name in such a sinful way causing my body to harden against hers.

That scent, that vile scent from such an unworthy demon shall leave her tonight…

_**-Rin's POV-**_

"Ma-Master Sesshomaru…" I gasped out a bit in surprise as my Master shoved the furred blankets aside and placed himself on top of me, his hips firmly placed against mine.

I reached up and placed my hands against his chest… his well-toned chest could easily be felt between the silks of his kimono. I gripped down on the soft silk of his white kimono, splashed with the red flower pattern I've come to adore. My entire being felt as though it were on fire as my Master leaned down against my neck, giving small purrs from within his chest and causing it to rumble beneath my touch. I shuddered lightly as his warm breath ghosted over my skin, just before his fangs once again pierced the tenderness of my throat.

This heat within me grew even stronger, feeling as though it wanted to consume my body, my very soul… I realized that id let it, I just couldn't bare to hold anything back from him… My arms quickly wrapped themselves around his neck, my fingers ravishing his soft silvery mane. After a moment, he took my hands away from his hair and held them both with his large clawed hands as he placed the above my head, exposing all that would have been hidden from him.

I glanced up at my Master nervously as his golden orbs devoured my exposed bruised body. I began to feel my face grow hot with embarrassment… Why did he have to look at my so hungrily? I wasn't that much to even look at… I closed my eyes tightly… He was such a powerful and perfect being. A weak human slave girl like me didn't even deserve to lay eyes on this god-like forbidden fruit… So why did he desire me so?

My eyes opened as my Master took my chin between his index finger and thumb, making me look up into his amber gaze. He stared down at me for what seemed like eternity without breaking the eye contact. His gaze said it all… He didn't want me to close my eyes, he didn't want me to feel embarrassed in anyway… He wanted me to drown in the lavish of his touch. He leaned down after a moment and took possession of my lips with his own. They were so soft… and he smelled of the morning dew in his mother's garden. Master Sesshomaru let out a possessive growl from his throat as he deepened the kiss, his touch feeling like burning hot coals as his hand glided up my body to cup my left breast, molding it in his hand.

"Bite me…" Master Sesshomaru growled softly into my ear, causing me to look up into his now blood red eyes.

I didn't know why… But his change in eye color didn't scare me at all… Instead it seemed to call for me, beckoning me in a sort of way that set my lower regions on fire.

At that moment I felt no hesitation, I closed my eyes and bit down as hard as I could with my human teeth onto the marble that was his flawless chest. I belonged to my Master Sesshomaru, mind, body and soul… And somehow I felt that in some way… He belonged to me as well.


	20. Chapter 20

_**A/N: Sorry it has taken so long for a update~ I'm trying the best I can to manage the story and nursing school at the same time, but nursing seems to be winning the rights to my attention. ^^ But I shall always find some time to continue on with the story. Thank You for reading everyone~.**_

**-Mrs. Taisho's POV-**

I sat in Ms. Yumiko's garden under a sakura tree as I sipped my morning tea from one of Yumiko's finest tea cups... I hated to seem rude or ungrateful for Yumiko's family's kindness towards me, but this garden wasn't nearly as beautiful as it could have been. It lacked diversity among the flowers, trees and decorative statues. I looked up at the Sakura tree that I sat under and couldn't help but frown deeply to myself... This tree seemed sad to me... There was no love at all that went towards it being planted and grown, it held no sort of a warming glow to it at all... Or maybe I was comparing it too much to my beloved sakura tree back home in the lands of the West...

"Looks like someone is a little home sick." Came a voice laced with pity from the entrance of the garden.

I turned my head towards the direction from which the voice had echoed from and saw Yumiko as she swayed with the elegance of a pure breed Inu demon over towards me. My son had to have gone completely mad to ever choose a human over the otherworldly beauty of a pure blooded demoness. It was a bit insulting that any male demon would ever think a mortal woman could ever hold a candle to such beauty as ours.

"Oh no Yumiko-chan." I said to her, shaking the thoughts of her poorly maintained garden out of my head, "Your home is so very lovely, I'd be happy to call this place home any time." I lied with a perfectly crafted smile on my face as I brang the tea cup to my lips to take a thoughtful sip.

Yumiko brang the sleeve of her sky blue kimono, laced with sakura petals around the edges to her mouth as she began to giggle a little in amusement. "Oh Lady Taisho... I appreciate your kindness, but it is alright to admit that you miss your true home in the Western Lands. I mean, you and your mate ruled over them for many, many years, yes?"

I looked down at the cherry blossom littered ground with a small fond smile as memories of the times that I shared with my mate ruling over the Western Lands flooded my head... When an image of Izayoi flashed through my head and the thought of my mate rutting with that human stabbed me directly in my heart. Those misinterpreted longing looks he use to give her... suddenly were realized to me and it hurt me to the core of my very being. My eyes flashed red from the sudden surge of hatred and jealousy that now blackened my heart, I didn't even notice that Yumiko had moved to sit at my side.

"You know, I can't help but feel that this situation is completely unfair to you Lady Taisho." Yumiko sighed as she casted her gaze up towards the cloudless blue sky.

I pulled myself from my angering thoughts and looked over at her with a curious look lacing my face, "What do you mean Yumiko?" I asked as I set my tea cup down, giving her my full attention.

Yumiko gave a small shrug of her shoulders and continued her gaze towards the sky, "Well, you have lived in the lands of the West for as long as you can remember and even planted a garden that took hundreds of years to grow to maturity, perfectly to your own likings. Why was it that after your son killed your mate, you had to leave at let that human girl have all rights to what was rightfully already yours?"

My eyes widened at the mere thought of what Yumiko had just said to me. Sesshomaru... No... He couldn't have... Could he? My hands were tightening into tight fists into the ground. How could he... and for what? That filthy human whore!? I couldn't believe I stepped down so easily, let grief completely consume me to the point I'd let the Western Lands go so easily... Sesshomaru wasn't going to get away with such betrayal... He was going to pay and I was going to take back the lands of the West as its rightful Queen.

**-Yumiko's POV-**

I began to smile softly to myself... This was far too easy. At this rate, I won't even have to break a perfectly filed talon on Sesshomaru, it looks as though his own mother might be doing all the dirty work for me. After Lady Taisho has weakened or even killed Sesshomaru, I shall kill her and the lands of the West will finally belong to me and my father.

I began to stand up off the ground, reaching my hand out towards Lady Taisho to help her up as well. It was time to take her to my father so we could get started on a plan to rage war against Sesshomaru, and knock him off his throne and that high horse of his...


	21. Chapter 21

_**A/N: Well now, it seems I shall wrap this story up within a few chapters**_

**-Sesshomaru's POV-**

It hadn't been but a few months since my father had passed on and here I was, in a war with the Eastern Lands to defend what my father had left behind for me to protect. I let out a small sigh as I stood in my mother's garden while Inuyasha and Rin played off in the distance. As I stood here, doing nothing but collectively think to myself, the men whom faithfully believed in me and served me were out in the battle fields giving their very lives to protect the Western Lands, their home. Soon it would even be time to bring in the Northern Lands for a bit of assistance in battle.

"Father!" Inuyasha called out, snapping me out of my thoughts for a moment and bringing me to his full attention.

I looked down at Inuyasha, Rin standing behind him with a cheerful smile on her face as Inuyasha lifted a hand crafted flower crown up towards me.

"Me and Rin made you a gift so you won't look so sad anymore Father." Inuyasha said as his eyes, those eyes that mirrored our father's very own in color and shape, laced with hopefulness.

I looked over at Rin. She bit down on her lower lip and gave a nod of her head, telling me that I should take and accept the _gift_ Inuyasha had thoughtfully made for me. Inwardly, I sighed and kneeled down to Inuyasha's level and lowered my head a bit for him. Inuyasha smiled happily and let out a small laugh as he placed the crown upon my head.

"I think it is time for your daily training to begin, Inuyasha." I said as I began to stand up straight, proudly sporting Inuyasha's _gift_ on top of my head.

Inuyasha began to cheer and brag about how good he was getting with his new sword that he had gotten from his _grandfather. _I really think he enjoyed the thought of combat and battle. The blood of a Inu demon indeed ran deep within his veins, it was only natural for him the revel in the thought of combat and blood shed of his enemies. A servant came to escort Inuyasha to his instructor, soon I knew Inuyasha would surpass even his teacher and I myself will have to take over and help Inuyasha master his abilities as a Inu demon prince.

"Master Sesshomaru..." Rin said after Inuyasha was completely out of sight, walking up to stand at my side.

I simply glanced down at my mate, concern clearly placed on her face as she returned my gaze unwaveringly.

"Tell me..." She said softly, only loud enough for me to hear, "Tell me what is upsetting you Master Sesshomaru..."

I shook my head and looked back towards the sky, watching as an eagle flew up ahead, seeming to circle the castle... It was nothing that should concern her or bring her any sort of worries. It was my duty as Lord of the West to protect these lands and not have to worry my Lady over the affairs of war. If my father could do it for hundreds of years, then so shall I without any complaint. It was truly time to grow up, a time of maturity for me.

**-Rin's POV-**

I gazed up at my Master as he brought his amber gaze above to the heavens, avoiding my concerned looks completely. He didn't want to tell me what was bothering him so deeply, but I did have a small feeling of what it might have been... And it was all my fault. By mere luck, I had found a nice warm and loving family that took me in and cared about me like no other demon household ever had despite my bad reputation of a death bringer. I should have been put to death, became the wolf demon tribe's dinner after that final auction... They thought that no one would ever dare to purchase me due to the reputation I had built up and saw that my only use would be as food for their families that night.

I smiled up absently at my Master, remembering when he had made the only and highest bidding I had ever received for his own death warrant. I thought he would be like any other of my demon owners and I would have to kill him just as quickly as he purchased me... but he proved himself to me without even being aware of it in the slightest. He didn't show it very well, but he was a kind and warm-hearted man... And I of all people in this world didn't even deserve to stand at his side, let alone be called his mate, Lady of the Western Lands... I placed a hand on my tummy as the roller coaster of my emotions began to over whelm me once again... I knew what was going on with me... but I wouldn't tell my Master just yet, I wanted him to be in a better mood than he has been in for the last few weeks.

"Rin..." Master Sesshomaru said softly, drawing my gaze back up towards him , his face void of emotion, but his golden amber orbs screaming his worry.

I shook my head and brang the sleeve of my kimono to my eyes to wipe away these unwanted tears.

Master Sesshomaru's eyes widened at that moment and his attention shifted from me to the training grounds where Inuyasha was taking his lessons.

"Mother..." Master Sesshomaru murmured mostly to himself... Watching as an explosion erupted from the training grounds.

"Inuyasha!" I screamed in terror, and without a single thought on the matter, began to rush to Inuyasha's aid.


	22. Chapter 22

_**A/N: To clear up any confusion on Rin's age, back when the uprising started, Rin was ten and five years had passed before Sesshomaru had taken her in so within the time rage she was about fifteen almost sixteen. During the time duration of being owned by Sesshomaru, Rin should be seventeen. Hope that cleared some things up about Rin's age ^^ now on with the story.~**_

**-Mrs. Taisho's POV-**

Human weaponry advanced to the point for them to create massive explosions of energy just before the uprising. They also came up with the weapon they called _the gun_. Humans were getting very creative and with that, finding new creative ways to wipe out demon kind completely. Weaker demons started to hide in the darkness while us stronger demons knew we had to put the humans back in their place, let them know us demons were not going to back down just because they had come up with some dangerous toys to play with against us. The soul of the uprising was to destroy the elders of the human race to wipe out such knowledge that provided them to come up with such weaponry and make the younger generation submit and teach them they could never surpass the power of a demon and we were something to always be feared.

I hated to use a weapon the humans called _the bomb_ to start the attack on the Western Lands castle. For one, it caused more damage than necessary and two, I'd much rather rely on my power alone. Though, Lady Yumiko insisted that this was the best way to start the attack on Sesshomaru, and Lady Yumiko seemed to want what was best for me so I gave her the benefit of the doubt.

The training grounds private training room illuminated hues of red and orange as the fires in the back ground licked at and consumed the majority of the room... I choose to throw the bomb in here for a reason... Inuyasha was in here alone with a lesser demon, it would be easy for me to erase him first... He shouldn't even exist in the first place... My mate should have never fallen victim to his vixen of a mother... He had to be erased from existence if it was the last thing I did.

I began to approach Inuyasha and the elder demon that accompanied him... He was the very demon that versed Sesshomaru in the art of combat when he was a mere pup... I suppose Sesshomaru thought it was high time Inuyasha started his training. I frowned deeply to myself... Why did Sesshomaru continue to act the role of this bastard child's father when his true father was dead and the secret was out? The trainer began to stur, groaning as he pealed himself off the floor, looking up at me with a confused glare.

"La-Lady Taisho...?" He asked, as if confirming his own thoughts while I merely glared down at him, my malice clearly shown in my eyes. The trainer began to draw his sword and assume battle position, his fangs bared in defense, "I-I am sorry Lady Taisho... But I can not allow you to harm the prince."

My eyes widened as the trainer said this, it felt as though I had been slapped in the face. That half breed didn't even deserve the family name! He should have been killed at birth along with his mother if I had only known in the beginning! Rage overtook me and at a speed faster than the lesser demon could register, I approached him and with one fluid movement of my talon, beheaded him. I then began to move forward towards the still unconscious Inuyasha, prepared to do the same to him when I stopped and simply... gazed at the boy... He looked... Exactly like my late mate, despite the lack of the family markings and the Inu ears atop of his head... He was the spitting of my beloved mate...

_'Damn it...'_ Tears began to spill from my eyes, causing me to grind my fangs down against each other, wanting the tears to stop... Why did I feel like this when only seconds ago I was hell-bent on killing the boy?

"Inuyasha!"

My eyes widened a bit and I turned to see Rin dodging past the roaring flames that took claim of the entrance of the training room. The girl, the flames only burning away the sleeves and lower half of her kimono, ran to Inuyahsa and dropped to her knees, pulling the boy's head into her lap. Inuyasha's eyes slowly began to open while Rin begged and pleaded to the God's that the boy would wake up.

"Gra-Grandmother..." Inuyasha stammered, squinting his eyes a bit to get a closer look at my through the thickening smoke.

My heart felt as though it had skipped a beat when he called me that... memories of the times I had nurtured this boy playing over and over in my mind.

"Inuyasha!" Rin cried out in relief as she brought the boy tightly to her chest and buried her face in his wild silvery locks. "Oh thank the heavens..."

Watching the girl act so much like a mother to Inuyasha... I began to notice... Rin did look a lot like Iziyoi in so may ways... Her long black hair, her flawless sun kissed skin and that warmth from her heart that came natural for her to give off. Rage once again began to eat away at my heart. She took both my mate and my son away from me, playing innocent and using her qualities to seduce the men of my kingdom to lower their guards. Who is to say that she won't kill Sesshomaru or even Inuyasha next?... I shall put an end to this human once and for all!... Then my life will go back to normal and I can avenge my mate's death... Today is her judgement day...

I began to prepare my claws, they started to glow green as I collected as much poison as I could into them... her death will be slow and painful, just as she had done to my mate. Just as I brought my hand up, about to strike a clear hole through the girl's chest, Seshomaru materialized before me, blocking my way to the girl.

**-Rin's POV-**

I glanced up at my Master's mother with tears of rage and sorrow streaming down my cheeks in waves. How could she? How could she run away from the castle, worrying Master Sesshomaru to death, to come back only to demolish the castle and damn near kill Inuyasha!? I will never forgive her for her selfish acts! My eyes widened a bit in fear when I took notice that her claws began to glow green. She raised her hand and I buried my face back into Inuyasha's silvery mane... I will protect Inuyasha, even if it costs me my life... After a still moment of nothing happening, I lifted my head to see what had stopped Sesshomaru's mother from attacking.

"Ma... Master Sesshomaru..." I stammered as I looked up to see my Master standing before me and Inuyasha, protecting us both.

"Mother..." Master Sesshomaru said simply, glaring at his mother.

Mrs. Taisho narrowed her eyes at her son and bared her fangs at him. "Step aside Sesshomaru... I will not hesitate to kill you along with her!" She hissed, not a note of regret in her voice anywhere.

Master Sesshomaru kept a steady face as he continued to glare at his mother. "Mother, stop this foolishness at once... Have you honestly deluded yourself that much to think Rin is the cause of fathers death? Do you honestly believe killing her will bring him back to us?"

Mrs. Taisho let out a loud growl of frustration and swung her glowing claws at Master Sesshomaru. Master Sesshomaru leapt back and gathered both me and Inuyasha into his arms before leaping out of the hole Mrs. Taisho must have made in the roof of the training room.

**-Sesshomaru's POV-**

I placed both Rin and Inuyasha a safe distance into the battle field of the training grounds, away from the outbreak of the fire my mother had ignited. Inuyasha reached out and held onto Rin's hand as Rin stood shakily to her feet to stand before me.

"Master Sesshomaru..." She spoke, clear fear in her words as she addressed me.

I noticed her kimono was indeed burned badly and reached out to place a hand on her cheek, "Rin... Are you hurt?" I asked her as she placed both her hands on mine and nuzzled her cheek into my palm.

"I am..." She answered, taking my hand from her cheek and holding onto it as tightly as she could. "Your mother... What are you going to do Master?"

"I will protect you." I answered her without having to think about it in the slightest... She was my mate... The new queen of the Western Lands. I will always protect her without question.

"Protecting the one who killed your father!"

I ground my teeth down together, while Rin covered her mouth and let out a horrified shriek. Mother sheathed a sword from the training room fully into my right shoulder and began to pull it out as she leapt backwards, gaining some distance between us.

"Master Sesshomaru..." Rin sobbed as I placed my hand over the bleeding wound, turning to face my mother.

"I'm growing tired of your foolishness... Mother..." I growled lightly between clenched teeth, this was becoming ridiculous.

Mother threw her head back with a laugh of amusement. "Foolishness? This said from the man who killed his father and forsaken his mother all for the sake of a worthless human slave."

"Enough..." I said simply as I drew my sword from my obi and stepped towards my mother. She was clearly on the verge of insanity since the loss of her mate... It was time to put her down.

**-Rin's POV-**

My hands continued to cover my mouth in horror after Mrs. Taisho had stabbed her own son in the shoulder with a sword. I watched with pain in my heart as mother and son began to fight to the death... The son clearly winning and not giving a second thought about killing the one who had blessed him with life and brand him into this world.

"This is all my fault..." I sobbed softly to myself as I remembered all the happy times I spent here in this castle with Master Sesshomaru and his once loving family... Up until the day I had accidentally poisoned Lord Taisho. This was all my fault! They shouldn't be fighting like this! They shouldn't be trying to kill each other... They should be trying to kill me instead...

Master Sesshomaru grabbed his mother by her throat with his right hand, lifting her weakened and battered body off the ground and looked her in her drained amber eyes with his now blood red orbs. I gasped and quickly returned to my senses. He was going to kill her... No! I couldn't let this happen! I had to stop him!

"Master Sesshomaru!" I cried out... dashing towards him with tears streaming from my eyes. "Please don't... Stop!" I screamed as I ran into him, wrapping my arms around him and burying my tear stained face into his back.

"Rin..." Master Seshomaru responded, his gaze never leaving his mother's dying form. "Step back. Now."

"Please... No more fighting Master... She was right. I was the one who killed your father!" I blurred out, instantly feeling Master Seshomaru's body tense up. "So please... Don't kill her... Kill me instead..."

I cringed as I heard the sickening sound of flesh being ripped apart and looked up to see blood staining Master Sesshomaru's kimono and face, still holding his mother by her throat. Had he... Had he finished her anyway even after I confessed the truth to him...? But why?

"What a waste..." I heard a familiar female voice.

Stepping back, holding the still beating heart of Mrs. Taisho was Yumiko. She held an irritated look on her face as she clenched the heart tightly in her clawed hands, crushing it and ceasing its beating. "I was hoping she would at least weaken you a little bit. Looks like I over estimated her potential."


	23. Chapter 23

**-Rin's POV-**

Master Sesshomaru released his hold on his lifeless mother's throat. I let out a small yelp and quickly stepped back due to the sickening thud her body made as it hit the ground.

"I should have figured you had a hand in this." Master Sesshomaru said as he glared at Yumiko, bending over to pick up the sword he had dropped next to his mother's lifeless corpse.

Yumiko sneered and dropped Mrs. Taisho's heart, licking the blood off her fingers as she returned Master Sesshomaru's gaze. "Aww, you truly think I am that evil huh Sesshomaru-kun?"

"Conniving wench..." Master Sesshomaru growled as he speed forward to make the first strike against the smug demoness.

Yumiko stood her ground unyieldingly, a grin forming across her flawless features while another Inu demon with a crimson red crescent moon adoring his forehead, his wild silver mane cascading over and obscuring the right side of his face, moved in front of Yumiko shielding her from Master Sesshomaru's blade with a sword of his own. Master Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and increased the force he applied to his blade, sparks from the clashing metal glistening before the two warriors. Demons were truly frightening creatures...

"Rin!" Inuyasha called out, running over and grabbing my hand. "My Tessaiga! I left it in the training room!" Inuyasha panicked as he pointed to the blazed building.

I bit down on my lower lip as I gazed at the building, knowing it was far to dangerous to even think of going back towards it... But I looked down at Inuyasha and saw the determination in his eyes. It was his most treasured possession, the last thing his late _grandfather_ had given him before he had passed. I knew he would go back for it, regardless if I came with him or not. I'd rather run into danger with him than let him run into it on his own. I held on tightly to Inuyasha's hand tightly, looking forward at the burning building with the same determination Inuyasha held in his eyes.

"Let's go!" I said sharply, forcing my legs to move forward despite the fear and dashed towards the training room, Inuyasha right at my side.

**-Sesshomaru's POV-**

I examined Yumiko's father's face as I applied even more pressure towards my blade... His expression was completely void, almost... lifeless. This was unusual for him. He, like my father, was cocky when it came to battle, and had a very sharp annoying tongue. It was as if the man couldn't stop talking at times. Why was he being so silent? Why didn't his eyes glow with the vigor and excitement for battle like my father's once had?... Soon I caught the faint stench of death eliminating off his body. I forced myself back away from the man, glancing over at the amused Yumiko. She couldn't have...

Her family's talents were something bizarre indeed. They mastered poison just as me and my mother's side did, but their poison was vastly different than ours was. When injected with their special poison, the body rots from the inside, killing their victims instantly. The poison finds it's way to the brain and hard wires it to do the biding of the one's poison that had infected and ended their life.

"You killed your own father." I spoke softly, loud enough for her to hear me.

"Just as you were about to kill your own mother." Yumiko countered, that smug grin still spread across her face.

"For what reason do you have for doing such a thing?" I asked her, ignoring what she had said to me completely.

Yumiko's grin faded and she replaced it with a frustrated frown. "I care not for ruling these lands as my father did. He didn't care that you had used me in the slightest! All he cared about was that I became useless to his cause after you rejected me! No one uses me and gets away with it Sesshomaru! No one!"

As she said this, her father's body's movements began to jerk raggedly, puppet like as he moved in to attack me. She was too weak to fight me herself so she uses the strength of her father. Women were such vile weak creatures...

**-Rin's POV-**

I cringed as we moved closer to the burning training grounds room... The heat was so intense, I couldn't even begin to think of how we were even going to get inside.

"Rin." Inuyasha said as he began to strip away the outer layer of his kimono. "Get under my robe with me, it will protect us from the fire."

"How is your robe going to protect us from the fire?" I asked Inuyasha skeptically.

"My Grandfather specially made this robe from the fur of a fire rat for me, it is resistant to fire." Inuyasha explained to me.

I was a bit amazed and nodded my head, getting under the robe with Inuyasha and rushed inside the burning building with him. I raised m hand and began to swat away the smoke that burned my eyes and threatened to take my very breath away as I coughed it out of my lungs.

"Look!" Inuyasha shouted out, pointing to the very back of the room. "There it is!"

"Come on!" I exclaimed, wanting to hurry and grab the sword so we could get the hell out of here.

As we ran towards the sword, the ceiling began to crack and buckle, sending a large piece of flaming wood down and slamming down in front of our path. I shrieked and shielded my eyes while Inuyasha cried out for his precious sword. Inuyasha ran out from under the robe and jumped over the large burning piece of wood, wanting desperately to reclaim his treasure.

"Inuyasha!" I shouted out and rounded the wood, not able to jump over it like Inuyasha just had.

Inuyasha was kneeling on the ground, tugging on the hilt of his sword to free it from the flaming wood that had landed on it. "Rin! Help!" He called out to me, not giving up the struggle of freeing his sword.

I ran over towards him, getting down on my knees to help him tug his sword from under the wood. Luckily, with the both of us tugging it, it loosened and we both fell back on our butts. Inuyasha held up the sword, laughing happily that his treasure was back in his possession. I look up and noticed the roof was now caving in, the rest of the wood about to fall down and crush us.

"Come on, let's get out of here!" I shouted as I grabbed Inuyasha's free hand and rushed us out of the building.

**-Sesshomaru's POV-**

Yumiko's emotions were getting the best of her, she could barely control the puppet that was once her father. I grew tired of playing games with her and dropped my sword, about to end this with my power alone. I extended my left hand, a glowing green whip of poison materializing and slicing through the air with a loud crack.

Yumiko snarled I could tell she was not expecting this. I had just perfected this technique and was happy I could finally get to test it out on something despite a wooden doll. With a fluid swing of my hand, the whip sliced forward, wrapping itself around Yumiko's father's throat. A green smoke began to rise from the burning flesh, eating away at it slowly. I wrinkled my nose up at the smell of melting dead flesh... It was a stench I was not use to as of yet. I tightened the grip on Yumiko's father's throat to close in the gaps of the eaten away flesh, tugging the lifeless corpse towards me. I listed my free hand and balled it into a fist as the body whirled it's way towards me. With as much might as I was able to I aimed the punch directly to the middle of the man's face, knocking the head clear off the shoulders, thus severing the brain from the body... It was useless now.

"No..." Yumiko hissed as she took a step back. "How could you have defeated me so easily?"

I glanced over towards her, she stepped back even more, fear clearly present in her eyes... She was going to run away. I wasn't going to let that happen.

At my fastest speed, I appeared behind her, Yumiko's back bumping up against my chest. "Because you're weak..." I spoke softly, the words coming out as a whisper.

She gasped and turned around quickly to look at me. I punched her as hard as I could, sending her flying clear across the training grounds... Before I kill her, she will regret that she ever tried to toy with me and think she could get away with it.

**-Rin's POV-**

As soon as we exited the building, something speed past both me and Inuyasha so fast that it made both of us cringe and shield ourselves more under the robe of the fire rat as our hair waved in the same direction of the flying object.

We looked over to see Yumiko had crash landed not too far away from us, a mound of dirt formed around her after her body skidded to a stop. While Yumiko lay groggily in the dirt, too disoriented to move, Master Sesshomaru made his way leisurely over towards her. He extended his left hand, a long green whip materializing from his talons.

"This is your punishment... For your treachery." Master Sesshomaru spoke as he lifted his hand, proceeding to rip into Yumiko with that ominous green whip.

Yumiko let out blood curdling screams, loud and terrifying enough for Inuyasha's ears to lay down against his skull, placing his hands over them. I held onto Inuyasha and brang him close against my chest, comforting him as Master Sesshomaru continued to _punish _Yumiko, earning louder scream each time his whip ripped into her flesh.

After a moment, Yumiko's screams began to die down until finally she became completely silent. Sesshomaru dropped his hand to his side, his whip starting to evaporate and disappear... He had beaten Yumiko to death... I didn't know he was capable of such a thing. It was truly frightening.

Master Sesshomaru turned and looked back at me and Inuyasha... I tightened my grip on Inuyasha... The look in his eyes... It was terrifying me... Was he going to do the same to me what he had just done to Yumiko. I cringed as he began to make his way over towards us, his eyes never leaving me for a second.

"Inuyasha, step aside." He ordered Inuyasha, causing the boy to look up at him in confusion.

"Fa-father?" Inuyasha stammered, not wanting to let go of me.

"I said step aside!" Sesshomaru ordered the boy, grabbing him by the arm and ripping the boy away from me, then tossing him to the side behind him.

"Ma...Master Sesshomaru." I said hesitantly as he made his way closer to me, looking down at me with nothing but hatred and... betrayal in his eyes.

I cried out and fell to the ground after Master Seshomaru's hand whistled through the air and collided with my cheek. I looked up at him... tears streaming down my cheeks as I held the spot where he hit me.

"Rin!" Inuyasha cried out, getting up to run to my side.

Master Sesshomaru grabbed the boy's arm before he could pass him, continuing to slice me with his cold gaze towards me. "Leave this place at once." He commanded me. "If I ever catch sight of you again... I will kill you."

I gasped... My heart... I could feel it crack and shattering as he spoke those words to me. Could I blame him? His life was nothing but blissful until I showed up... Killed his father, caused his supposed to be mate and his mother to go mad... I was nothing but a curse... _The Bad Omen of the West._

I shakily stood to my feet, turned and dashed away from both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, ignoring Inuyasha's cries of protest and begging me to come back. I closed my eyes tightly and turned my head to the ground... This was for the best, at the very least... He allowed me to keep my life.

I ran... and ran, until I was out of the castle and turned back to get a final glance at it... At where I had had the most happiest times of my life after my hell had started... And my happiness ended there as well. I gasped, my heart almost leaping out of my chest as I heard a loud mewl. Kiki was running top speed towards me from the same direction I had run from... She followed me, she wanted to stay at my side. I smiled softly and caught the kitten as she jumped up into my arms.

"You're such a good girl..." I said softly, unable to stop the flood gates as I started to cry again.

I guess Kiki could sense my distress, she crawled onto my shoulder and nuzzled against my cheek, purring the loudest that she could... I absently placed a hand on my stomach as I took one last glance at the castle, then turned away... I wish I could have told my Master that I was with his child before this nightmare had happened...

_**FIN**_

_**A/N: I am thinking about making a sequel to this story but I'm not 100% on it. If I do It will most likely be titled Bitter Betrayal and will mostly revolve around Inuyasha and Rin.**_

_**Thank you everyone that read and gave me support, it really meant a lot to me. **_


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